Animal, Nature, and Travel: Tale of the Aquarium Fish

While enjoying a meal at Hosabi Kitchen in Morristown, Tennessee back in 2011, this is what I imagined was going on in the minds of the Aquarium fish.

If these Aquarium Fish could talk, what would they say?

Introduction: Have you ever eaten at a restaurant that had an aquarium full of colorful fish? As you stared or gawked or took pictures of them, did you ever find yourself wondering what must have been going through their minds?

As for me, while enjoying a meal at one of my favorite Asian restaurants back when I still lived in East Tennessee, this is what I imagined was going on in the minds of those Aquarium fish. The restaurant was called Hosabi Kitchen. It was located in Morristown, Tennessee. Back when my husband was still alive, this was a place we liked to go to as a special treat.

FYI - This was something I wrote back in 2011.

Aquarium Fish at Hosabi Kitchen on Feb 17, 2011

While I ate at Hosabi Kitchen in Morristown, Tennessee back on that 2011 day, this is what I imagined one of the aquarium fish would say to me, if it could actually talk.

Please be aware that as a writer and as a professional storyteller, I spend a lot of time constructing stories in my mind and nurturing my very active imagination. So, with that as your introduction, here we go.

If Aquarium fish could talk, what would they say?

If Aquarium fish could talk, what would they say? Would they joke about the humans gawking at them? Would they enjoy watching the clothes that we humans like to adorn ourselves with? Would they be thinking thoughts like the following?

"Where is our food? Feed us now!"

"We're hungry. Stop staring and give me food."

"There goes those funny-looking humans again."

"Why is she pointing her camera at me? Do you mind?!! A little privacy, please."

Enough levity. What would they really think or say or be willing to convey?

Here is what I feel they would say

Greetings to you. I am the large silvery fish to the left watching you watching me. I want you to notice that I push the limits as much as I can within this environment where I live. I make good use of the entire stretch of this aquarium. I pulled that word from your head, by the way. In other words, I do not stay in one place. I do not whine about what I don't have. I make good use of the things that I do have - sunlight, well-filtered water, plants, food, friends and neighbors, etc.

In the same way, it would be helpful if you would make good use of all your resources that you already have access to. Think about the good things that you have in your life. You have sunlight and moonlight. You have food - probably in excess. You have a place to lay your head at night. You probably live in temperature-controlled rooms. You have family, friends, and neighbors. You have plants around you and places to go where you can see and enjoy more plants. You have transportation. You have clothes to put on your back. I've learned, from my observations, that having clothes seems to be important to you humans. So whether you have a lot or a little of that thing you call money, you are still rich in the things that you do have.

The moral is ...

The point I am trying to make is that you need to glory in the things you have and do not fret for the things you do not have.

Glory in the things you can do. In my case, I can swim and glide with the current. I can swim against the current. I can stretch. I can be still. I can breathe. I can do many, many things that bring me great pleasure.

Focus on the things you can do. Work at them. Glory in them. If necessary, practice doing some of those things until you polish and perfect them.

Do not whine or fret about what you can't do. For one thing, if you work at them, some of those CAN'Ts may turn into CANs. Or perhaps you will discover a few new CANs that you had never considered before by interacting with the people around you. You see some of the CANs that they are able to do. You try some of those things and behold - you now have a new set of skills you originally did not know you possessed.

Gratitude, remembering to breathe, taking stock of your ever-growing list of CANs, and making good use of your full resources are all things that should hold the majority of your focus.

I've enjoyed my conversation with you. Now, it is time for me to take a little swim with that cute little yellow fish over there. Until next time. Have a great day!