I have always wanted to see whales in person. I have often told my husband this, yet he misses the hint and we have never gone. When we went to Hawaii last month, I heard people saying they could see whales from our hotel balcony, but I never did.
I thought of booking us on a whale watching cruise, but since it was April and theoretically whales have already mostly left the Hawaiian islands, I didn't want to spend the money on a while whale hunt.
Recently, two humpback whales ventured inland in California. They ended up in the deep water channel of my city. We are 90 miles inland, and it was a quite a shock to all of us. I really wanted to go see them and even contemplated keeping my kids out of school for a few hours so we could go see the whales. But I didn't.
I wanted to see them a day later, taking the kids after school, but then I read that experts were saying all the foot traffic on the levees around the water might be distracting to the whales. They encouraged people to stay away. So I did.
I thought after the weekend, I would take the kids and we would go anyway. I've always wanted to see whales, I reasoned, and thousands of people were making the pilgrimage each day to see them. Many people were coming from miles around to see them.Why not us?
Tonight, I was delighted to learn that the whales had finally begun the long trek back to the ocean. Nobody knows quite why and I am actually saying a little prayer that the mom and baby make it home safely and especially get back into salt water so their wounds can heal. But I was also quite sad and found myself tearful upon hearing the news.
Why?
I realized that my wanting to see the whales and not going out to see them is like a metaphor for my life, especially when it comes to weight loss. I *want* to do the right thing, but always fail at the crucial moment when I can do something to make a difference. I have good intentions, but often lose interest, or the ability, to make my plans a reality.
It might not seem like a good connection, but to me, my desire to see the whales in person, to finally see these great creatures up close, and not do it says volumes about other failures in my life.
I may never be a size 2, or even a 10 for that matter, but I have to prove to myself that I am worthy of the whales, of everything in life that I want. If I want weight loss, I have to get in the car, make the drive and take that walk. I must do it for me.
I thought of booking us on a whale watching cruise, but since it was April and theoretically whales have already mostly left the Hawaiian islands, I didn't want to spend the money on a while whale hunt.
Recently, two humpback whales ventured inland in California. They ended up in the deep water channel of my city. We are 90 miles inland, and it was a quite a shock to all of us. I really wanted to go see them and even contemplated keeping my kids out of school for a few hours so we could go see the whales. But I didn't.
I wanted to see them a day later, taking the kids after school, but then I read that experts were saying all the foot traffic on the levees around the water might be distracting to the whales. They encouraged people to stay away. So I did.
I thought after the weekend, I would take the kids and we would go anyway. I've always wanted to see whales, I reasoned, and thousands of people were making the pilgrimage each day to see them. Many people were coming from miles around to see them.Why not us?
Tonight, I was delighted to learn that the whales had finally begun the long trek back to the ocean. Nobody knows quite why and I am actually saying a little prayer that the mom and baby make it home safely and especially get back into salt water so their wounds can heal. But I was also quite sad and found myself tearful upon hearing the news.
Why?
I realized that my wanting to see the whales and not going out to see them is like a metaphor for my life, especially when it comes to weight loss. I *want* to do the right thing, but always fail at the crucial moment when I can do something to make a difference. I have good intentions, but often lose interest, or the ability, to make my plans a reality.
It might not seem like a good connection, but to me, my desire to see the whales in person, to finally see these great creatures up close, and not do it says volumes about other failures in my life.
I may never be a size 2, or even a 10 for that matter, but I have to prove to myself that I am worthy of the whales, of everything in life that I want. If I want weight loss, I have to get in the car, make the drive and take that walk. I must do it for me.
posted by Just Me at 10:23 PM
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