6/3/2010
Ever been to an aquarium?
You know how you can go down below the surface level of the fish tanks
and look in at all the wildlife living in the water? The fish are swimming in their schools, you
see a couple different types of sharks, some manta rays, any type of random
species that would exist in that ecosystem you can find it that water. It’s really dark down there – the only light
comes from strategically placed lights to create some ambience (and safe
pathways to the EXIT signs), and whatever light shines through from the
water. Everything seems to be tinted
blue, which highlights and enriches the colors of the creatures you’re
observing.
Now that I’ve set the scene – can you remember seeing the
little kids in that area? The one who has his whole body smashed up against the
glass so he can see every possible angle and edge of the tank. His eyes are bigger than you thought eyes
could be, looking from fish – to coral reef – to bubbles – to the random guy in
a wet suit swimming around making sure everything’s alright. To everyone else the kid’s grimy hands are
greasing up the glass, but to him they’re helping him literally grasp the world
he’s seeing.
Think about the innocence in that kid’s curiosity. He just wants to take it all in. He’s not paying attention to the chaperone or
whatever adult figure is nagging him to move on to the next room. He can’t hear the baby crying 5 feet
away. He doesn’t care that the other kids
in the room are complaining about wanting to eat their PB&J
sandwiches. All he’s focused on is
watching that fish – the fish whose colors are so bright it seems like it’s
being lit from inside his gut by a light bulb.
The eye-catching fish is just swimming around, doing his thing. He’s not swimming with his fish buddies, he’s
not scampering from the bigger fish in the sea, he’s not bothering the coral or
the low life in the tank: just swimming around.
The fish is the eyes for the kid on the other side of the
glass. The kid can’t see what’s behind
that reef over there, but the fish can.
So the kid keeps his eyes locked (no blinking!) on the fish.