capsule of water and life

I am not in the mood to post anything, but stubborn enough not to let chronic illness “win” today, so here is a random memory.

During my first semester at UAB, I lived on campus in a single room. My bedding was black and white; the walls were beige cinderblock; the furniture was light wood. Nothing about my room was remarkable in any way. To make it more my own, I bought a small octagonal aquarium, some neon tetras, and a tiny aquatic frog. I was far from home, hundreds of miles from everyone I knew, and this capsule of water and life became my nightlight and my lullaby.

The fish and frogs did not live long. I remain captivated by aquariums, but have not owned another since.

About Halsted M. Bernard

Halsted, a/k/a cygnoir, does stuff with words. Her favourite things to do with words are keeping this diary, writing stories, and organising information. She lives in Edinburgh with her husband, two cats, a few gadgets, several fountain pens, and many books.

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