Did You Know?

a day at the tide pool reminds me of all the wonder waiting in all the things that are very familiar

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Do you ever find yourself taking things for granted? Of course you do! We all do, sometimes.

Well, the other evening, our family took a low tide walk at sunset, and I was suddenly reminded of just how overflowing with amazement the natural world is, all the time.

Have you ever found a sand dollar on the beach? Such a beautiful treasure, a pure white medallion, delicately etched with five curving petals, as though a sea creature dreamed of blooming on shore.

They’re quite familiar, sand dollars. Easy enough to recognize at a glance, with a little surface-level appreciation, and go on about your day, but…

Did you know…

That a living sand dollar is covered in a dense, bristly fur, in rich jewel tones of purple and red?

And that all those furry bristles are used to pass bits of food to the central mouth as the sand dollar rests or travels on the ocean floor?

Or that sand dollars congregate in sand dollar beds, so that when the tide is out, and you’ve spotted one, you will soon realize that they are absolutely everywhere, nestled and tucked and piled all amongst each other, and you really better watch your step?

Did you know…

That a live sea urchin is covered in little stripey spines that are constantly in motion, moving tasty tidbits to their central mouth on the bottom, as well?

And that, when they are in the water, tiny filaments extend from every spine to filter every tiny morsel from the passing water?

Or that, the closer you look, the more mesmerizing they become?

Did you know…

That starfish often gather beneath rocks at low tide?

Or that they move around using hundreds of tiny sucker feet on the bottoms of their arms?

Or that those little starfish feet will also stick to your finger just as well as they stick to a rock, and will slowly peel away one by one when they decide they’re ready to let go?

(my husband’s video, my daughter’s hand)

Did you know…

That this tiny lobster is already winning the lottery, because only around 1 in every 20,000 wild lobsters survives past the larval stage?

But he’s by no means out of the woods, because only 1 out of every 250,000 eggs survives to adulthood. Back off, seagulls, give this little guy a chance!

Did you know…

That miraculous wonders are hiding in plain sight around you every single day?

I mean, these are just four of the very most familiar inhabitants of our little corner of the Maine coast. I can count them on one hand. They are literally at my fingertips, every day, twice a day. So very familiar, so very that’s-nice-what’s-next.

And yet, if I let my thoughts rest on any one of them for just another moment, all of the wonder and awe and amazement of the endless variety of life on Earth comes tumbling in like crashing waves, ever-present, stretching to the horizon, an inexhaustible supply, needing nothing more than my focused attention to deliver all of their delight to the shores of my awareness. I can literally take a moment to be amazed, any time at all, and nature will be ready and waiting to overflow my cup :)

How many ordinary, everyday miracles are all around you right now, wherever you are in this moment, just waiting for you to remember? The whole world is at your fingertips - reach out and touch it!

Just in case you’re still feeling beach-y, here are a few more Nature Moments from the magical world waiting at land’s end!