A couple weeks ago on our regular Target run, my roommate and I decided to make the impulse decision of purchasing a betta fish. Clarence, our betta fish, was a nice addition to our apartment, and for the first few days, that’s all he was. However, as days turned into a week, I realized some important things that Clarence has taught me.
- Life is simple
Ever since we brought Clarence home, I always envied how simple and carefree his life was. All he needed was clean water and food to be content with life, but I needed so much more. Or so I thought. Seeing Clarence swim around like the happiest fish ever made me realize that maybe I don’t need all the newest materialistic things. Sometimes all we need is food, water and those closest to us.
- The water gets foggy
If you’ve ever had a fish, you know that if you forget to clean the tank every once in a while it can get a little foggy and unclear. Life can be similar in some ways. If we don’t regularly assess our environment, then it can be hard to evaluate what is important to us and what is maybe not as important anymore.
- There’s always a Darla
If you’ve seen the movie “Finding Nemo,” then you know Darla as the girl who relentlessly taps on the fish tank glass. In Clarence’s short life so far, this has probably happened one too many times to him. Personally, I have plenty of Darlas in my life. There are always going to be people who try to bother you or try to bring you down. Personally, I’ve always struggled with dealing with this. Clarence, on the other hand, just takes tapping on the glass and moves on with his life. He’s taught me that if you stay calm and don’t react, the Darla’s in your life will stop tapping your glass.
- Live in the present
Clarence always lives in the moment and only focuses on what’s happening around him. Maybe being a fish makes it easier for him to live in the present and not worry about other things, but sometimes it’s important to take a step back and think this way. Everyone deserves a break from worrying about the stresses of life to just focus on what’s happening in the present.
While this was a silly decision that had low stakes, I never realized how something so small could serve as a daily reminder about the important things in life. In the few short weeks I’ve had Clarence, he’s made me lead a more reflective and calm lifestyle. While getting a fish isn’t a necessity, thinking and acting like a fish can help to have these attitudes in life. It is key to obtain a calm and carefree lifestyle amongst the stresses that we have to deal with in our day to day lives.