Symbiosis

Recently I had the good fortune to go on a nature cruise along the beautiful coastlines of Costa Rica. Each day the naturalist guides took us on rain forest walks to see birds and plants and animals. Always, the guides emphasized the oneness, the symbiosis, the interdependence of all living things. We all soon grew to love Rudy, the head naturalist who was so positive about life and nature–so happy to meet new people, so willing to share what he knew, and always excited to learn new things.

I loved the high canopy walks, but when it was time to snorkel in order to see the fish, I preferred to literally keep my head above water, so I stayed on the beach doing T’ai Chi Chih. Fellow travellers were curious about what I was doing. They said it looked so peaceful, and they wanted to know more about it. Before the trip was over, I was invited to do a demonstration during the morning stretching exercises held on board daily. There was Rudy in the front row eager to learn something new. One of the moves I chose to demonstrate was Daughter on the Mountain Top because the intersecting circles so clearly describe the interconnectedness of our lives–the symbiosis which was emphasized throughout the trip.

On the last day when it was time to leave the ship, we said our good-byes, gave our parting hugs, and boarded the bus parked on the dock. I looked out the window for a final good-bye. There up on the second deck of the ship was Rudy. He was waving good-bye by moving his arms in a perfect representation of Daughter on the Mountain Top as if to say, “Never forget the happy days that we have shared, that our lives are connected, and that we are one with all things.”