We were at the Atlanta Aquarium. Why? Because it bills itself as the largest aquarium in the world and – it’s brand new.
It’s a bad start when you go to a venue and you don’t know where to enter and there are no signs instructing you. But never mind that. Joseph dropped me off at the curb and he went to park. I walked around the outer circle ramp of the entrance since no one was allowed to walk down the stairs to the entrance. Strange, but true.
I purchased the tickets and we entered only to find a dark hallway and a bunch of people looking lost. We figured out the correct hallway and walked into a big circle in the middle of the building with circular exhibits to be entered from the sides. While I appreciate the effort for a circular space, the feeling was so spacious, that the whole event seemed scattered. We appreciate beautiful buildings and design but most of all we appreciate things that not only wow us with beauty but are useful, and practical. I especially like buildings that easily promote the flow of people in different directions. This building missed the mark but the exhibits more than made up for it. We were able to see very unique species that we had not seen in Monterey Bay or the Academy of Sciences Aquariums.
My favorite is the ethereal Beluga Whales. Their beauty and grace are just awesome. They always draw a crowd and it was hard to get up close to the glass to see them. I waited patiently and found a space. To my surprise, they instantly came over to me. Hee, hee, I thought, they really like me! They really like me! I caught their eye and silently talked to them. We danced in a silent space for awhile.
As we left and walked over to the seals, I noticed the same thing happening. Only this time, I knew what voice they heard from me. It was the voice of my cane. As I walked towards them, they felt the vibration and swam over to it. I would test this by pounding my cane to my right and then to my left. The seals would move to each area where I put my cane. The children around me squealed in delight. Pretty soon, they would follow me to watch me pound my cane near the glass and watch the fish come. That’s when I knew it was time to stop.
Making magic is fun when it is spontaneous and authentic – not deliberate and showy. Kinda like real life, huh?
...it is extremely important to look inward and try to promote the
right kind of attitude, which is based on awareness of reality. A sense of
caring for others is crucial. And it is actually the best way of caring
for oneself. ...the moment you think of others, this automatically
opens our inner door--you can communicate with other people easily, without
any difficulties. The moment you think just of yourself and disregard
others, then because of your own attitude, you also get the feeling that
other people also have a similar attitude toward you. That brings
suspicion, fear. Result? You yourself lose inner calmness.
Therefore, I usually say that although a certain kind of selfishness
is basically right--self and the happiness of that self are our original
right, and we have every right to overcome suffering--but selfishness
that leads to no hesitation to harm another, to exploit another, that
kind of selfishness is blind. Therefore, I sometimes jokingly describe it
this way: if we are going to be selfish, we should be wisely selfish
rather than foolishly selfish.
I feel that the moment you adopt a sense of caring for others, that
brings inner strength. Inner strength brings us inner tranquility, more
self-confidence. Through these attitudes, even though your surroundings
may not be friendly or may not be positive, still you can sustain peace
of mind.
--from "The Art of Peace: Nobel Peace Laureates Discuss Human Rights,
Conflict and Reconciliation" by the Dalai Lama and other Nobel
Laureates, edited by Jeffrey Hopkins, published by Snow Lion Publications
I just had to share the above. I read quite a bit even while I am on the road. Right now we are in Memphis, Tennessee. Check us out on our travel blog at http://jlarocca.typepad.com/rvlarocca/
The Oklahoma Memorial to the 168 people who died there was very beautiful and quite moving. Bronze chairs atop a glass square with each name of the victims inscribed lit up at night on a grassy area where a building used to be. Little chairs represented the children who died there.
We also took a little city tour of Austin. Very nice city, four star rated by the LaRocca’s. Good public transportation, music, food, friendly people, nice parks and activities, low cost housing and low crime rates. Never mind that it is situated on a fault line. One that is permanently inactive, our guide said. Yeah, right.
They have also had their share of tragedy with a sniper that took out 45 people in 1999. We watched on CNN the life sentences of Mohammed and Malvo who terrorized the Washington Virginia area. These acts are a constant reminder that terrorism doesn’t come from overseas- that’s it’s been here and among us for centuries.
Houston is a large sprawling city. Everyone here is nice and have that all American look about them. No tattoos, piercings, or out of the ordinary Macy’s store clothes. We especially like the Kemah Boardwalk and Seabrook – little beach towns near Galveston. They had clean, fun activities for everyone and cute little summer houses along the beachfront.
Galveston was a bust- more like a very poor town with a little tacky tourist area and big ugly oil platforms that dot its coastline.
Off for more sites of death and destruction…………my hometown, New Orleans.