February 17th, 2007
Jellyfish
This jellyfish was photographed at the Living Planet Aquarium in Sandy Utah. I wonder why most aquariums feature their jellys in blue environments such as this. Is it strictly for cosmetic presentation or is there a another reason?
Canon 30D, Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens – 1/40 second, f/1.8, ISO 400
I’m thinking the blue gives a nice contrasting color inorder to see more detail on the jelly….but then again….I’m just guessing
Would your brother-in-law know?
In the Seattle Aquarium they don’t use blue. They have a wonderful large plexiglass display case that one is able to walk underneath and through it. There are jelly fish of every size there who seem to be flying like parachutists through the water. They are so translucent. The jellyfish float from side to side on a wave of a current. They also use different colors to shine through them. It is so beautiful.
Such an interesting creature, but don’t touch it because it burns/stings like crazy. It draws you to it out of curiosity but then doesn’t allow you to get too close. Makes me wonder if we are like the jellyfish. We protect ourselves when we try to be transparent with people. We hurt them if they get too close to our nakedness and don’t really allow them to truly experience our transperency/nakedness up close. If they try to touch us or interact with us, we strike back and cause them pain; thus forever keeping others at arm’s length. Never really allowing them to truly get to know us or experience us on an intimate level. They become afraid of us and we are afraid of them. They can only see our beauty from afar, but will never know how beautiful we truly are.
Many will see the transperancy as ominus and frightening– “Stay back! or I will lash out at you with my words or actions inflicting upon you great pain and agony that will teach you a lesson to never try to get to know me.” This keeps us from interacting with those who most deeply need us to get to know them and get close. We must not be afraid of the initial stinging and become like the clown fish who moves easily around the anemone because they have become immune to the neurotoxins by a protective mucus covering. The clown fish and anemone are symbiotic. They need each other. The anemone’s protect the clown fish from predators and the clown fish cleans the anemone’s tentacles. We need each other too!! We must not allow the stinging or toxins to put us off from those who desperately need us as much as we need them. Sometimes we don’t realize how much we could need that person who seems to put us off! Be persistent like the clown fish! Don’t back down because of hurts. Don’t be afraid of their initial attempts to keep you away. Just respect and love them and enjoy the mystery of who they are.