the day I Captured Nemo

The three things I remember from the movie FINDING NEMO:

1. We live our lives as if we only got two options: We either stay in a comfortable zone where it is obviously safer or take the risk to go out where there is adventure. Most of the time for most of us, we choose the power to go out and tend to show everyone how brave we are.

Marlin: Nemo! You’re gonna get stuck out there and I’ll have to go get you before another fish does. Get back here! Get back here now! Stop! You make one more move, mister…

[Nemo lifts his fin]
Marlin : Don’t you lay a fin on that boat! Don’t you dare touch that boat! Don’t you…
[Nemo touches the boat]
Marlin : Nemo! 

2. Life, in one thing or another, never fails to surprise us with a lot of challenge. We have so many things to learn in order to survive and we can learn most of these as we venture. The movie said; when things get tough just keep on swimming. We are all like little nemo (perhaps big daddy Marlin) in this big wide world, it is indeed scary meeting different creatures along the way (mean creatures) We should not allow fear to stop us. We should never give up when life becomes scary.  
There will come a time we needed to go out, no matter how we resist not to (for those who preferred to stay in their comfort zone) Get motivated and be inspired by people around you to get life going.

Dory: Hey there, Mr. Grumpy Gills. When life gets you down do you wanna know what you've gotta do?
Marlin: No I don't wanna know.
Dory: [singing] Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim. 

3. Our parents love us no matter how hard headed we are. 

Marlin:There, there, there. It's ok, Daddy's here, daddy's got you. I promise I will never let anything happen to you...Nemo. 

The movie showed the father’s fear for the safety of his children. Every family member I think has an instinct to provide and protect each other. We should not take this for granted. Don’t put yourself in so much trouble just because life is an adventure and because you know your family will protect you in the end. Just imagine the pain and the risk it will bring them. 
In addition, there are those who became rebel because they failed to realize that overly protective parent have no intention other than the safety of their children.

One thing I also noticed: 

We are sometimes like Marlin. We refuse to be challenged. Despite the lessons we learned from the past, we tend to be reluctant to face another that gets our way.  But lessons are nothing if we can't apply them in our real lives. knowing a thing is way different than doing it.

But here is my own version of finding Nemo adventure… 
(Traveling back in time years ago)

I found myself shouting “nemo!!!!... Nemo!!!!... Where are you my dear nemo?!?” *very desperate under the heat of the sun along the intertidal zone of Taklong Island* 
From time to time, a teenage boy named “Tata stephen” the young bankero to whom I trusted my life with while I'm in that island would say “Palitan mo na kasi ang study mo Nang, mas madaming Sea urchins... Sea stars...blah blah blah”. A brilliant suggestion. True. Finding nemo wasn’t easy. It’s like a “search for a one peso coin… a coin at the bottom of the not-so-deep intertidal zone”. 

 

At times, I agreed with Tata and was tempted to propose another topic for my special study. But I did not, because I was told by my adviser after my preliminary sampling “that’s a good sign Tim, I’m happy with the progress” after I told  him  I have seen only one clownfish… I’ve seen one little tiny clown fish after a day of boating/ a little diving/snorkeling around the Island.What a progressed!

 My special study  entitled “The species, composition, distribution and abundance of Clownfish along the Intertidal Zone of Taklong Island and Vicinity, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras" brought me to Taklong that year. Studying a community structure of a certain species back then was easy, to find nemo wasn't.

It wasn’t that fun but full of adventure. Aside from the main search was the threat of meeting Mr. Coral snake. We actually met one time and it was the funniest day I had in that Island. I hurriedly jumped back to the boat as fast as I can because of panic. I still can't imagine myself. I’m sorry for not presenting my self well, mister!

On our way to Taklong Island

 Motivated by the words “good sign and progress” *so sweet*, we made a lot of a total census until finally found them. And lucky enough to found just exactly like this one (I’m using a cheap, not to mention plastic made, underwater camera of avon [toinks!] so I never got a good picture for my own, sucks!):

So adorable! Mama Clownfish, Papa Clownfish, and Baby clownfish…isn’t a perfect picture of a family?

I captured one of the three, went back to UPV marine station with the rest of the Amphiprions that I got that day then had it measured and documented. While doing the record, I thought of the nemo I separated from its family. I felt guilty and felt sad for the two I left in the field. 

A lot of people were separated from their families for unwarranted reason. Like the nemo family, they were there living in harmony when I found them. They’ve done no harm to me but I disturbed their sanctuary.

I thought of the other two: What if they’ll transfer to another anemone because I already scared them. What if one of them gets their way to look after the one I captured? Not so realistic but well… I rushed myself to finish my documentations and headed my way to the field so I can bring the Amphiprions back to where exactly I got them. Losing a close family member is a truly devastating experience for most of us. I don't want to be the kind of person behind a tragic story.

I also realized the importance of spending quality time with family--to cherished each moment with them. Life, again and again, is full of surprises. We can never tell how precious a person is to us until gone. We don't have to wait for that moment. Most of the time, losing someone special to us is something beyond our control. So we really have to exert effort to make good memories with them.

Honestly, I have a lot of catching-ups and connecting to do here...

By the way, My Study was a success.  Thanks God.