My Little Buddy, The Fish

I went to paddle board yoga again today and afterwards I decided to swim by myself.  I swam about the cove, marveling at how I have succeeded in living in a place that is so incredibly beautiful.  I can walk to these locations in 20 minutes with no other form of transportation.... As I bob, alone, in the ocean - I soak it all in.  The clouds, the mountains, the waves, the birds flying overhead.  What an incredible world we live in. 

As I began my swim back in, I noticed this tiny yellow - black stripped fish that was near me. I noticed that he was following me.  Then, I realized that he wasn't just following me.... he was sticking so close to me that no matter where I went, he went too.  He swam by my legs, then he swam up near my hands.  As I kicked with my arms in front of me, the little yellow and black stripped fish glided along side my hand as if we were a school or as if I were the big fish he was going to live with in symbiosis.  I dove down, and he dove down.  I spun around and he joined me.  He was always there.  He stayed with me until the water was so shallow that I could stand.  Even then, he swam around my ankles. 

When I got so shallow that the waves were crashing against the rocks, we parted ways.  I wonder what he thought of me and why he wanted to stick by me so closely. Perhaps I'll never know, but it was pretty special to have a little fish friend for the day.