Rainbow fish

The salty breeze and the friendly sun. It was a perfect day for fishing.

Me, my uncle, and my little brother.

I was determined to bring many fish back home so that we could keep them in our aquarium. I looked at the water below and could only see the small ones with black stripes. They look different in the water than they do when you catch them. If you can catch them, anyway.

Finally the line pulled.

“Yes!!” I exclaimed. My brother and I looked upon my uncle in curiosity as he reeled the beauty in.

A rainbow fish.

More beautiful up close than what I could see when it was in the water.

I dragged the plastic bucket over, “We gotta bring it back!”

My uncle frowned, and gently unhooked the rainbow fish.

“No, we gotta let this one go.”

“Whyyyyyy” my brother and I whined in unison.

“Because, I feel sorry for this fish. Too young. It looks like it should enjoy the big ocean, not get stuck in our small glass box.”

I looked at the rainbow fish for the last time.

“Okay, I hope you enjoy the ocean!”

And we let it go.

I learned that some are created for freedom, for vastness, for the unknown. I learned to recognize that in others that day, the importance of letting the rainbow fish back into the sea.