The Surface 🐟🪽

[Vedha]

This morning, while walking beside a pond, I noticed something I had never really paid attention to before.
Every now and then, a fish would rise to the surface for just a few seconds. Perhaps it was getting a little breathing space from the world beneath the water... a tiny moment of freedom, excitement, and curiosity before returning to where it belonged.
But there was something else happening.
A kingfisher was sitting patiently nearby, waiting for exactly that moment.
The instant a fish came to the surface, the bird would fly towards it.
And suddenly, the very place where the fish came looking for a little freedom became the place where its life could be in danger.
It made me think...
Sometimes, the moments we crave the most—the moments when we step outside our comfort zone, seek freedom, or simply come up for air—can also make us vulnerable.
But does that mean we should never come to the surface?
No.
The fish still has to breathe. It still deserves those moments above the water.
Perhaps the lesson isn't "never come to the surface."
Perhaps it's "know your surroundings while you're enjoying your freedom."
Because sometimes danger isn't waiting where we expect it to be.
Sometimes, it's waiting for the exact moment when we finally decide to breathe. 🌿🐟🪽