Mary and I took the boys to the local aquarium a few weekends ago.It wasn’t too crowded, and I sat down on a bench in front of the penguin tank, while the family ran on ahead. From there, I had a great view of the tank, which ran from floor to ceiling, and was about 15 feet wide. I also had a great view of the penguins as they dove in from up above and swam around, interacting with each other and with the occasional onlooker.
The water was a beautiful blue, and the black-and-white birds were zipping back and forth, leaving trails of bubbles…it was a moment similar to times when I’ve sat down in front of a monumental, fascinating painting. I was absorbed; I sat there for several minutes without moving.
All of a sudden, around the corner came a big group of high school kids, on a field trip or something. They were clustered in groups of three and four, and gabbing with each other like geese. I heard some “Oohs” and “Ahhs” as they walked up to the tank.
Within five seconds, cell phones appeared in most every hand. The kids held them up, clicked a picture with the built-in cameras, and moved on. Within thirty seconds of their first appearance, they were all gone.
Something about the moment saddened and bemused me a little. I can’t help but think that I had the richer experience. Then again, maybe not. Teenagers and group dynamics being what they are, the kids may have been completely immersed in a rich experience of their own.
I hope that I can teach my sons to slow down, meditate and contemplate. Life is so much richer when you take the time to stop and look. At least that’s how it looks from here.
