I went to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco after a much awaited wait. Much. Awaited. The night was a part of the Sketchfest week and let me say, I felt right at home. Being a nerd never felt so right! I was like a little kid in a …uh… ginormous museum. I literally hopped around the aquarium and learnt how to defend myself incase of a zombie attack (an imminent future, I am led to believe). I laughed at the perverse jokes of America’s wittiest and learnt about earthquakes. I stood gaping in the imposing shadow of a T-Rex but missed out on feeling and witnessing an indoor rainforest (more to do next time!). All in all, $12 well spent.
I’ve been to great museums (if you are a science museum entusiast and are visiting California, you must check out The Tech Museum in San Jose…WOW), aquariums, forests and zoos but somehow, this time, the jellyfish left a huge impression on me (maybe it’s because I had a super enthusiastic jellyfish lover alongside me). Jellyfish. One of oldest residents of Earth. Not a big surprise since everything about them is build for survival (they can reproduce with or without help, 45,000 eggs at a time).
I stood transfixed as the blooms of jellyfish swam around their tanks, expanding and contracting. Pure grace. They existed in rhythm with a type of unconcern that can only be ascribed to age. Their calm didn’t fool me! I knew they could poison 60 of us in an instant and still look beautiful doing it. Nature is like that. That’s why, when confronted with all it’s glory, we can only pray.
So, here’s to the jellyfish! Conquerors of beauty. Conquerors of years. Conquerors of the depths of Earth. Sounds kind of like sweet immortality doesn’t it? The one that comes without diarrhea and pimples? ❤
Stop Waiting For Summer 