If you ask me about my money-est moment, it's easy: there is one moment that stands out in my entire life this go around. My dad and I were out on the skiff whale-watching and we had cut the motor and been floating for several minutes when we suddenly noticed we were surrounded by humpback whales. There were so many of them, it was hard to decide where to look because they were all around and every one of them breaching into the air and slapping the water with their fins. We were both focused on the horizon so we didn't even notice the whale that was suddenly surfacing right next to us, within 5 feet of touching the boat. Neither of us had the where with all to catch this on film. Dad was nervous and ready to start the motor to buzz us away from them, but I wasn't scared at all. I absolutely could feel how gentle the whale approached us, and so deliberate.
The whale was small-ish, probably young and curious. I remember seeing the blowhole and realizing that I really never had a true appreciation for how enormous they actually are before that day. I also remember the very poignant sense of feeling a deep intelligence from being that close to them, and that's why I felt so completely calm and unafraid of them, despite their massive size. It's truly hard to comprehend until you've been that close to a creature that is so much bigger than you and the spatial awareness sinks into your lizard brain consciousness.
On the way home, I noticed Dad was singing when I looked back, although I hadn't heard him because of the motor. When we got back to the harbor I asked if he always sang when he thought the boat motor was loud enough to drown him out, and he laughed and confessed. I admitted that I do the same thing and we both laughed pretty hard for a while there, but secretly I was convinced that the reason whales come around when we're out boating is because they hear us singing. Whales have incredible sound recognition, and they also migrate seasonally to the back to the same areas. I am entirely convinced that they recognize us from the float house days, and think of us as family by now. Because that's the way I feel abou them.
This story has nothing to do with money and everything to do with energy. I have never felt more rich than I did in that those moments; absolutely overflowing with abundance *actual literal tears of joy and gratitude flowed from my eyes like tiny floods.
The only way I really know how to honor that experience is through my art. I created these earrings so I can feel surrounded in whales all the time, and be reminded of how expansive, and magical and thrilling that experience was.
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