Community in a Tide Pool

by Michele Oksen

Published as small booklets, as part of nautical almanacs, on the internet, and in some newspapers, tide tables help you plan adventures at the ocean. One such adventure might be the exploration of tide pools.

On this beautiful SLO coast, when we time it just right, we have opportunities to discover. The most active and diverse tide pools are located at what is known as the mid zone. Living in the rocky areas that are often under water, there is truly marvelous and mysterious sea life to behold - but never bother. Here is where I am reminded of the old adage about nature – observe it, don't disturb it.

Visual encounters are a delight. We can get up close and personal without being disruptive. I know it's tempting to poke, prod, or pull these mystifying creatures out of their shallow sanctuaries to scrutinize their peculiarities.  It takes a certain level of wisdom, as well as respect for living things in all their expressions, to refrain from picking them up and unintentionally stressing them, which weakens and makes them vulnerable.

This is where we teach others the value of a compassionate mind. If children must touch or hold a living thing, to experience its splendor fully, there are appropriate places to do so, like the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

That being said, while gazing into the tide pools I can't help but compare them with life, as we know it. The human equivalent of a tide pool at the mid zone would be a community that is located in an area rich in recurring, life-supporting nourishment for its residents. As in tide pools with starfish, hermit crabs, anemones, and fish, communities of people consist of colorful characters, all with unique behaviors and habits. Some like to keep to themselves in the dark. Others cling to rock, blend into the scenery, or go about their business peacefully, while still others like to come out and stir things up.

Favorable interaction with one's fellow inhabitants appears to require an attitude and intention to be cooperative and even to coalesce. It looks to be the well adjusted, the adaptive, the creative, and the conservative who not only survive but thrive in their community. On the other hand, those who attempt to force a communal environment to conform to their selfish agenda are the ones who seem to flip out, flop around, and flounder about. They are the ones who are always creating futile commotion while struggling against the natural ebb and flow of the tide.

Still, learning to accept and appreciate the vibrant variety of personalities in our own community is a step in the direction of good citizenship.  The best thing we can do is to be examples of that code of conduct, which we would like to see. It isn't always easy but it could be just what our local and global communities need to flourish rather than perish. To mentor and guide others toward a means and a method of successful sharing of space is to make a great contribution.

Photo by Linda Foster Finley