Salmons coming home

Today I saw a salmon is an inspired song that manifested through the experience of Salmons swimming upstream at Skykomish river, WA.

Every year, the phenomenon of Salmons swimming upstream towards their home is known as their migration marks the end of their lives after reproduction.

A great lesson for all of us searching, reaching and swimming towards home, is right in front of our eyes as creation marches on home to the creator.

Some of us are chosen to walk on a path, a path sometimes very difficult to tread upon, a path sometimes impossible to swim against the current of life’s challenges and tormenting people around, a path we know is the way to salvation and the pain and the suffering is a way to clear karmic debts, a path we know a friend is standing by guiding and protecting us, a path that teaches us lessons through the experiences in conscious awareness, a path we also know is worth surrendering to and accepting willingly to choose the path no matter what, in order to maintain the mind’s sanity and the soul’s dignity, a path we know will lead us home as our precious Lord holds our hand throughout the journey, until the end… just like Salmons do…

The Experience

We saw different kinds of fishes swimming by the river. We lived in a house by the Skykomish river and the gorgeous mountains overseeing the drama, witnessing and admiring creations (natural life) beautiful life. I believe these creatures follow the scent of home in the river even if it has to swim against the current, hitting rocks and a whole other obstacle course. I also believe there is a spirit moving and acting through the body of the creature following nature’s path. The spirit helps the body reach its destination and the upstream current and the stones that cause pain and suffering do not break the spirit to do its will. Are you listening? You hear me?

Some of the fishes that came and parked by the shore just resting against some rocks were so hurt, bleeding and just about ready to die.

Some do it and some die trying but they do it anyway.

Crossing the roads

Skykomish river is deadly and is known for its floods every year. We witnessed one such flood and survived miraculously. We would see washed out homes floating in the river. We prayed.

We had to cut off the deck to save the house. Later a stone wall was built again, miraculously with human effort and money. We survived several more years after that.

So, the floods would divert the overflowing river from the mountains, caused by melting snow and flood the roads making it look like the course of the river flowing. The Salmons just follows the river and sometimes would be crossing the road misunderstanding the detour caused by the flooding.

It is a scene to watch for those who came across it and stop their cars for the “Salmons crossing the road”.

Anyways, a whole family of these enduring fishes came and parked by the beach with stones in front of our house down by the river. Each fish as they reached their destination of “home”, they would lay their bodies against the stone, as little waves of water splashed on their still dying bodies, just waiting for the right time. As repulsed by the smell of fish, I was just as intensely falling in love with these creatures. Some active fishes with a hump on their backs happily swam and jumped like dolphins. It was quite a scene they created and we got to see and experience nature’s wonder, freely.

So, there I was, being vegetarian my whole life, dreaded fish and their smells, touching the fishes that were creepily looking at me with eyes wide open and no eyelids to shut, their souls just finishing their journey and ending their lives somewhat seemingly grateful as much as I was for the unique experience. I learnt a lot about life and death that day or those several days, knowing exactly when the spirit left the bodies of the fishes and died. The massive number of fishes that died that year and exhibited this phenomenon has not happened ever since or before. (I am tracking)

The Eggs

This event lasted for days and now I was having a relationship with the fishes blessing them intentionally (and fearlessly and having overcome the smell) and feeling blessed. I was grateful for the intimate experience.

One day, we found the mother of all fishes. She was huge, almost two feet long. She was just lying there, breathing her last few breaths. I knew as her mouth still opened and closed probably drinking the water and indicating she is still alive. I learnt that it is part of their journey to reach their final stop after the arduous endeavor to come back home and finish it by laying their eggs. No wonder this big mama fish was so tired carrying all her eggs on this long journey.

Jesus, did the mother in me just squirm to figure how I could help. She was huge and did not look like she had the strength to lay her eggs. She was holding on to her breath to save her babies. Now I realize it is a race against time. After allowing her to stare at me for a while as I was rubbing her belly, I thought that’s it. I am picking her up. The spirit just rose up in me, I found all the strength, I also mean mental strength and boldly picked her slimy body up, gently pointed the hole in her belly towards the water by the stones and squeezed her. I felt like an extraordinary midwife. Out came gushing, hundreds of small glossy about half an inch in diameter and filled the area with her alive eggs. I made sure I squeezed out all of them, just in case. Really, you should have seen the relief in her eyes and if I may exaggerate even a little smile on her face. Within seconds she slowly breathed her last. I know not what happened to her large generation and I certainly know not if I really did a great job or not or even saved her babies. The whole experience certainly and surely enlarged my heart to a bigger and larger opening for love. The seemingly supernatural event all happened in the spirit bypassing my body and mind which obviously had no control at all.

It was a profound one time short and sweet love affair.

The love that was squeezed out of my heart then would be enough to last a life time. Unfortunately there was no gadget available to record this sacred event of beautiful creation at that time. May be it was censored to respect the dignity of the holy experience. No energy wasted or experience disturbed by distractions and hence a vivid and clear memory recorded in my mind.