Jellyfish

As most people probably recognize this is a stranded, and dead, jellyfish. I have never seen one in the water -- but I am a late comer to watery wanderings. Few things are more aptly named than the jellyfish. This looks like a blob of clear gelatin. I think only the starfish is equally appropriately named.

A couple of days ago I was walking along just at the edge of the surf when I noticed another walker coming my way, I actually realized I'd seen her before because of the plastic sandals she was wearing. She not only said "good morning" as most people do but also stepped over beside me and warned me to watch out for jellyfish. She had just seen a couple on the sand around the corner of the spit of land. I thanked her and said I'd watch and she gave me a surprising quick hug and went on her way. I don't know why she hugged me except some people are just naturally huggers.

I hadn't walked fifty feet before I came to this blob and took his postmorten portrait. I doesn't look like he could have hurt anyone, but then the dead of nearly all species mostly look harmless and sad. That even goes for snakes which look like wet and sometimes squished noodles; but I think crocodiles and alligators continue to look dangerous.

Walking on the beach early in the morning does bring on such thoughts. The gulls have left many fresh crab and clam shells lying about and the washed ashore piles of seaweed have begun to stink of decaying aquatic flesh caught in its tangles as the sun warms and dries everything. I don't practice satzen, walking meditation, as such but always do slip into my own kinds of reverie.