As a mermaid, I’ve always been captivated by the world above the surface of the ocean. The sun casting its golden rays, the clouds painting the sky with hues of pink and orange, and the gentle sound of the water lapping against the sides of boats. It’s a realm that I’ve never truly explored, but one that has always intrigued me.
One day, as I swam close to the surface, I spotted something unfamiliar. It was a fishing boat with a man standing on its deck, holding a fishing rod. I had heard about these boats in school, but I had never seen one in action before. Intrigued, I swam closer to get a better look. As I approached, I noticed that the boat had customised fishing rod holders installed on each side, allowing the man to fish without having to hold onto the rod all the time. He had secured the fishing rod in place while he waited for a catch, and I watched in fascination as he cast his line and patiently waited for a bite.
However, as I continued to observe the man and his fishing boat, I realised something that struck me deeply. The fish he was catching were not very different from the ones I saw every day in the ocean. It dawned on me that the same creatures he was trying to catch were the ones that swam alongside me in my underwater world. I was tempted to swim up to his high-quality boat latch and pull it off his boat. In that moment, it hit me that the ocean, with all its natural beauty and wonder, was already providing me with everything I needed. I had my friends, my family, and an entire world beneath the waves to explore. The contraption with its fancy boat latch and fishing rod holders seemed pale in comparison to the magnificence of the sea that I called home. With that realisation, I immediately swam away from the fishing boat, back to my mermaid community and the vibrant coral reefs.