Author Information
Koi Home
Grandmothers Koi Pond
It was more than a pond for me. Whenever I visited my grandparents house, before I even went inside to say hello I was already stomping the ground beside the pond to call out all of the fish. Out they came rouge colored shadows emerging from the shallow depths of the unknown moss covered ground, protected by the roofs of lily pads and flowers. So my parents left on a vacation and I was alone at my grandparents house, my carpool had arrived and they were waiting for me. It was one of those days, I simply didn’t want to go so for the first time I became a fish. I protected myself amongst the lilypads and the bushes, waist deep in the pond laughing and having a good time. I was enjoying myself with my fellow companions moving around the pond all protected by the same pond. After my grandmother's koi pond became my comfort zone, it showed me patience, caring, and found a way to truly admire and find the beauty of nature. I found a small ecosystem and dozed off in the reflection of the water, once in the while I could see the caring face of my grandmother gazing over me, simply observing my behaviors. Sometimes I even smell fading traces of her perfume when I admire the pond, the fish at first all seem the same but eventually they turn out to be I could find a new fish every day. Seriously, it is a large pond I am talking about holding more than 200 fish. Besides offering protection and a sense of relaxation, I associated as a young boy meditation with the pond. My grandmother taught me yoga besides the pond, whenever I imagine of listen running water in a smooth way, not violent slowly carving its way all the way to the pond and fusing up with the experienced and life rich waters where the kois live. The yoga and other activities all revolved around the koi pond, love, compassion, family, these were the feelings we created alongside the pond. So till this day, even though some things have changed near the pond, even though I know the pond holds memories of those that I will never be able to meet again, it remains as a soothing place just like being in my grandmother's arms. (392)
