I watched a documentary the other night called My Octopus Teacher.
My son Eric suggested I watch it. I’m glad he did.
I didn’t expect much more than an interesting look at life underwater.
I certainly didn’t expect to feel anything.
But somewhere along the way, I found myself watching—not just an octopus—but a life. A living being making decisions, solving problems, adapting, hiding, exploring… surviving.
And at one point, I realized I had become emotionally invested.
In an octopus.
That caught me off guard.
What I Noticed
I noticed that the more time the filmmaker spent observing the octopus, the more the octopus seemed to become… someone, not something.
It wasn’t just reacting.
It was choosing.
It was learning.
It was living.
And the more I watched, the harder it became to see it as just another creature in the sea.
What It Made Me Wonder
How many lives do I pass by every day without ever really seeing them?
Not just in the ocean—but in my own backyard, along the roadside, in the woods, even in the air above me.
How often do I notice something briefly… and then move on?
And what would happen if I stayed a little longer?
A Thought to Ponder
Maybe the difference between indifference and care is simply this:
Time spent paying attention.
I’m glad Eric suggested it.
It reminded me how much there still is to notice.