Monday, April 13, 2009

satisfaction 101

We're blogging about satisfaction at daily headspa this week. I'm going to think about it everyday...and write about each day's little (or big) satisfactions here. Whatcha got? You can join in!

Today's satisfaction: canoeing the mangroves with our friend Bill.

Later in the week I'm hoping to attend a meeting to learn more about a proposed development that will build over/eliminate the particular area of this distinctive ecosystem where I was canoeing today. I am going to dream tonight of how sweet the satisfaction would be if that development plan was stopped by the power of the people.

Because today it was so incredibly satisfying to look at trees from the angle of gliding over the top of them in salt water. I mean, is this not the most amazing plant in the world? Well, pretty amazing anyway. Or what about the satisfaction of spotting that kingfisher amongst the branches and leaves? Or fairy gliding the canoe on the outgoing tide to take us across the river back to the landing? Or watching and waiting to see if that flock of red tailed black cockatoos would really fly right over the top of us. Or the sound of the splash when the sting ray jumped and only Bill saw it.

The satisfaction of knowing that this world amongst the mangroves has nothing to do with me, the human. It is its own world and is intrinsically meaningful because it exists not because someday it might be a marina. Maybe saving this place will be as complicated as finding our way out of the tangle of trees this morning, but it would be very satisfying indeed.