What magnificent creatures.
The other night, we decided to eat in. On the Big Island, fish is reasonably priced so I picked up a couple of pieces of Mahi-mahi to cook. I thought it would be great to eat something native to the Hawaiian Islands.
I enjoy cooking when I have time. I searched the Internet to find the perfect recipe. I took my time preparing the fish with spices and special oil. My husband came into the kitchen, as I was finishing up.
“What type of fish is Mahi-mahi?” he asked.
“Dolphin,” I told him.
His face went extremely red.
“ There is no way I am eating Flipper,” he said in rather a repugnant tone. I would never dream of eating any animal that showed intelligence.”
“Oh come on,” I said. “You eat Salmon. You eat Halibut. What is the difference?”
Needless to say, dinner was rather quiet that night. I timidly picked at my fish while Gerry ate nothing but salad. All the time I was eating, I couldn’t help but think about the “Flipper” series years ago on TV. The theme song ran around and around in my head.
“Was Gerry right? “, I thought to myself.
The next morning, we went on a snorkeling cruise. What a wonderful time we had on the water. As we were leaving the snorkeling site, two big dolphins spun right before our very eyes. They were fast and quickly swam under our boat. I even got a glimpse of their eyes. It was so thrilling to see these fishes up close. A chill went through my body. I felt a sense of awe of how magnificent and stunning they are.
The crewman shared a story about the cruise yesterday. A dolphin jumped in front of the starboard side of the boat. The Dolphin had a fishing hook in his mouth. He said it was almost like the Dolphin was begging for help. He shook his head in disgust. You could tell that he was extremely bothered about a Dolphin in distress.
I’m not a woo-woo type. But, I do think that this experience was in life’s plan. This event has caused me to question my beliefs. I would have never thought that choosing what you eat defines your inner principles. I have a new appreciation for the choices that both vegetarians and vegans make.
All living things have a purpose, demonstrating that is a choice. Do I really want to consume something that is a living breathing being?
I think for tonight’s dinner I will forgo the pork as well as the beef and chicken. Furthermore, I definitely, will not be ordering Mahi-mahi. Whether this will be a life choice for me, time will tell.
I love my Flipper Friend and feel like this experience was a lesson that I cannot ignore.
Enjoying the clear waters of Kona
Aloha.