Page 34 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 9 2024

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

FINDING NEMO?

LOSE THE TORCH

B Y PETER S T OFFBERG

t’s still the best-selling DVD of all time, a classic
animation which opens with a barracuda knocking
a clownfish unconscious and devouring his wife and
Itheir clutch of eggs. On regaining consciousness, the
clownfish finds that just a single egg has survived. That
one egg hatches into a dearly loved only child who later
tragically disappears during his first school outing. The
determined dad spends the rest of the movie on the epic
quest of finding Nemo.

The plot twists and turns with excitement,
disappointment and danger, which is somewhat like the
subsequent experience of many dive masters as their
scuba diving clients abandon the usual interests and
demand Ocellaris clownfish interactions, or simply put,
finding Nemos.

Thankfully, Nemos are quite easy to find. They live in
sea anemones in shallow reef water and are active
in the daylight. They’re prone to leave the safety of
their stinging anemone hosts to bite at the long hair of
scuba divers and this can provide a great interactive
experience. They are the most likeable fish, which is why
an article caught my attention this week.

Recent studies show that light pollution is endangering
their existence for the simple reason that their eggs
will only hatch when it is sufficiently dark. In reefs close ON SITE SUNDAY SERVICES @ 9h30
to developed coastlines, the night lights illuminate
the ocean to unnaturally high levels and prevent the www.familychurch.online
clownfish eggs from hatching. The reason seems to DAINFERN COLLEGE AUDITORIUM
be that the eggs are designed to hatch under cover of
darkness to give the tiny translucent fry the best chance
of survival. become despondent. But what if the cover of darkness
is providing an opportunity for something to hatch and
That made me think about the term ‘2020’. The year of grow? What if we quit trying to shine a torch into the
perfect vision has become the year of darkness. Nobody unknown and trust God to use the darkness?
knows what to expect next. It seems impossible to make
any sort of plans for the foreseeable future when even Faith in God is one thing which can arise and thrive in
tomorrow is uncertain. So much is shrouded in the times of adversity. Deep, loving relationships can do
darkness of the unknown that it’s easy to lose hope and the same. The death and resurrection of Jesus brought
the most stunning light from the darkest time, God can
do that. At a time when many of us are questioning
the meaning of life and our purpose in it, we’ve been
handed a perfect opportunity to start afresh and build
on what really matters. The light will return one day, and
the horror of a global pandemic will fade into the history
books, but where will we find ourselves when it does?
Will it have been time wasted, or will it be remembered

as the moment of our rebirth?

32 DPL issue 9 2024