Little surprises can be just as much fun as big surprises. A marvelous example of this happened while I was on vacation in Cancun, Mexico, in a small lagoon located on the right side perimeter of the resort’s beach area. Karys and I had been swinging on rope swings with wooden seats under a thatched hut sitting very close to the ocean. There were a few children and adults engaged in snorkeling activities in that small lagoon, located a few yards from us. It was built from natural rocks and filled with salt water. Naturally we had to check it out. Karys decided to sit a few feet from the water’s edge, but I stepped into the water, very carefully as the rocks were slippery. The water was warm, and the sand soft on the bottom of my feet. So I stood quietly, watching the few people in the water who were wearing broad face masks to dip their faces below the surface.
A young boy who looked to be about ten years young lifted his head out of the water, and then stood, holding something very small in his left hand.
“Look at this!” he said rather loudly, speaking to no one in particular. His voice sounded excited and happy, and immediately caught my attention. He looked over at me, so I asked, “What is it?”
“A snail,” he replied. “With a crab on its back!”
He grinned at me, and then still clutching the prize in his hand, walked ever so carefully the few feet between us to show me. I was not disappointed. It was the tiniest crab I have ever seen. Not that I am a crab expert, but it was tiny! The size of my pinkie nail, and actually, now that I think about it, the color of my nail, a very pale pink. And it was sitting on the back of a small, grey snail. The snail had migrated almost completely out of his shell, his body pulling this protective apparatus behind him, his head bobbing, his thin, grey antennas stiff and straight. The shell was a pale white, almost translucent as the sun shone down upon it. It was quite beautiful really. And the tiny crab never moved, his head and little legs still, this silent, immobile hitchhiker determined to keep his seat. The young boy and I looked at each, both of us thrilled to witness this snail and little crab.
“Maybe they’re friends,” he said to me.
“I’m sure they are.” I smiled at him again and he turned and walked slowly through the water to a wall of rocks. He gently set the snail and crab on a rocky ledge, then turned and floated on top the water, his face submerged, once again searching for treasures.
I climbed out and Karys walked to me and asked what I saw. I told her about the snail and the tiny crab. She knew they were small she told me, because she could see something little in the boy’s hand.
“We could give them each a name,” Karys said.
Oh, you are such a child of mine, I thought. Me, who names everything. Better yet, I could write a children’s story about them! Give them a great adventure! I could hear my mind already turning, processing for the details. Scrillow the Snail and Casey the Crab…
“Let’s go get the kayaks, Marmie!”
Hearing Karys’s voice my thoughts came back to the present. Another time… perhaps I will, I thought. But now it’s time to play with this beautiful Girl! And who knows, maybe be given another surprise!
c Love, Joan
I loved this. thank you for sharing and giving me such a wonderful image.
You are most welcome beautiful Lady!
Oh, what joy! Finding treasures everywhere in life. Joan, you my friend, are an inspiration for me to live life fully each day!
Thank you and I look forward to your book about the adventures of Scrillow and Casey!
Keep finding those surprises – big and small!
Thanks Rev. Rick! Treasures they are! And Scrillow and Casey… we will see!
Just loved this, Joan. I could totally picture it. Learned more about nature…thank you!
I am glad you could picture the story with me beautiful Lady!
Thank you Joan. What touched my heart about this is the connection and relationship to was struck between you and the little boy. If we were to draw a Venn diagram of the total combination of relationships that culminated here we have a little snail and a little crab, with a delightful mystery about their history–drawing in an observant little boy and an unassuming Queen of Consciousness, and her equally observant niece–pure magic!!! Care to calculate the odds . . .
Oh, you are so right about all the relationships evolving in this story! Thank you beautiful Lady!
Such fun! Children see nature from such a simple perspective!
My nephews wife is a science teacher! She takes her kids out into nature as much as she can! Her youngest is 11 yrs old! He loves bugs and has a box of bugs under his bed! Can name them all and shows them to everyone that comes to their home!
He wants to be an entomologist!
Nature is his favorite place to be!
Enjoy your vacation!
Hi beautiful Lady! I would love to meet this curious little boy! Good for him! Nature is the best place to be! ;o)