Image: Richard Bartz
“They seek him here, they seek him there...” I couldn’t help thinking about Baroness Orczy’s Elusive Pimpernel as I watched the translucent creature foraging in the corner of the aquarium. He’s not exactly scarlet, being more of a watery pink, but he could certainly be the ‘shrimpernel’ of the tank.
Quite where he came from, or how long he had been in there, I’ll never know. I can only assume that he hitched a ride on one of the plants I brought home from the fish place. I didn’t even know I had him until he was discovered, lurking in the bottom of the old tank when I transferred the fish to their new home some months ago, and it had been months before that when I had last bought plants.
I saw him again the following morning, swimming merrily across the glass of his new home and really hoped I would see more of him; they are fascinating to watch. I even bought another half dozen shrimps to keep him company, knowing them for social creatures. But, despite cleaning the tank at least once a week, I hadn’t seen him or his fellow crustaceans since. They just disappeared into the undergrowth, never to be seen again.
Until last night, that is, when, bold as brass, a shrimp sauntered out to raid the fish food that had fallen at the front of the tank. I had been convinced for some time that I had lost them all. I had seen the vacant exoskeleton on the sand one day, just after I had medicated the tank. Invertebrates are not good with many aquarium treatments and I was convinced he had been a casualty of the war on white spot. And shrimp are a delicacy for bigger fish too.
No matter how carefully I look, though, or how assiduously I peer into the plants, nooks and crannies, there are no shrimp to be seen. It is nice to know he is there, though, quietly working behind the scenes, doing what nature intended. I only know he is still in there because he allowed me to catch that one, fleeting glimpse. It was enough to reassure me that he is alive and thriving, but it also makes me wonder what else might be in there, present but unseen.
There is something about the tranquillity of watching fish that can induce a meditative state. Or maybe I just indulge in weird trains of thought. But it seemed to me that the presence of the invisible shrimp could serve as an illustration for other unseen presences.
We cannot see love or hope, but we feel them, and see their effect on the world around us and in our own lives. We cannot see the wind, but we watch the trees bend before it and their leaves dance in its breath. We cannot see yesterday, but we know it was there… and we trust that tomorrow will come. We live our lives trusting in the presence of the invisible.
Neither deity nor the soul are visible to us, even when we have faith in their presence and existence. Without direct experience, we may trust that they are there, but we cannot know for certain; that is the very nature of faith. But, every so often, we are granted a fleeting glimpse of something beyond the scope of the everyday world.
It may be the beauty of a sunset or the first rosy blush of dawn, the perfection of a newborn babe, an act of love, or the whisper of that still, small voice within that holds a wisdom far beyond our own. These things can all be explained away as mere manifestations of a prosaic reality, but when they touch your heart and fill your being with wonder, you are gifted a glimpse beyond the mundane realms of fact and know that you have been touched by grace.
and long may we continue to be touched by it, I say!
Amen to that 🙂
Reblogged this on Campbells World.
Thanks for reblogging, Patty 🙂
I enjoyed your thought process here, Sue. The idea of the shrimp going about their lives, out of sight of humans, but still there, behind the scenes, is very peaceful.
It is a nice thought… I am glad to know they are still in there somewhere 🙂
I suppose we don’t have to see things to know they exist, I have grandchildren but I hardly ever physically see them .💜
We do spend our lives trusting in the existence of things we cannot see… even people. <3
Yes we do 💜💜💜
A lovely post Sue. I’ve always found fish relaxing to watch but never thought of shrimp. I was fascinated by the sea horses at the oceanarium.
Seahorses really are fascinating. I remember being taken to see Darby O Gill and the Little People when I was so much younger it doesn’t bear thinking about. We went to the News Theatre, and there was a featured wildlife film on with the main film, about seahorses. Well over fifty years later, I can still remember being captivated by them.
They are so graceful.
They are… and their beaviour is really interesting to learn about.
The males rear the young if I remember correctly.
They do 🙂
Lovely!
Thanks, Ellen.
Reblogged this on Musings on Life & Experience and commented:
Lovely thoughts by Sue Vincent.
What an excellent analogy and the feelings that emerge. Well penned, Sue.
Thank you, Jennie. I learn a lot from the fish 🙂
And thank you for sharing their wisdom. 🙂
🙂
This reminds me of Hebrews 1:11. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. You have faith that that little shrimp is still there, still thriving, even though you can’t always see him. Such a hopeful piece!
Thanks, Jennie. I believe there is evidence enough for the things in which we have faith but which we cannot see…if we open our hearts to it.
A beautiful story Sue, using the comparisons to life going about its business despite being elusive. And I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone having shrimp in their fish tanks. I enjoyed this. <3
Shrimp are a great addition to a tank, helping to keep it clean, besides being fascinating to watch… if you ever see them again 😉
I learned something new. And it does make sense as they are born scavengers. 🙂 x
They are, and do a sterling job 🙂 xx
🙂 x