Octopi

I thought we were going to watch Octopussy. That didn't seem right since Sean Connery was the one who died and Roger Moore stars in it.

But, I was wrong. 

In so many ways.

We watched My Octopus Teacher. There are no gun battles or weird circus scenes in this documentary; there is a photographer who discusses his love affair with an octopus. I might have guffawed multiple times and I came up with the new term "octo-erotica" but by the time it was over there were tears running down my cheeks and I too loved his sweet octopus.

I won't ruin the movie for you, but she dies in the end since octopuses only live for a year. And it is heartbreaking to hear this professional wildlife photographer talk about the nature of loving something in its particularity. He loved this octopus and she was also cuddly and lovey with him. 

It reminded me of The Little Prince where the prince learns about relationships from the fox:

“I am looking for friends. What does that mean -- tame?"

"It is an act too often neglected," said the fox. "It means to establish ties." 

"To establish ties?" 

"Just that," said the fox. "To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world....” 

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

The Octopus Teacher  was a beautiful witness to the gift of establishing ties with creation and with each other. In the darkest moment of his life, he goes to the depths of the sea and finds meaning. I needed that. 

It would have been easy to write about the wretchedness of shoveling snow berms or the anxiety about the election, but finding joy and beauty in dark depths seemed like a more life-affirming reflection.