The Octopus

I was watching television the other day when someone mentioned the octopus. I never really thought about these creatures, so I did a little research. I found the octopus to be very interesting.

I learned that octopuses have venom. Most do not have enough to harm a human, but a bite from a small blue-ringed octopus can paralyze a human adult in minutes.

The octopus having venom reminds me of humans. For the most part, we do not bite, but then suddenly what comes out of our mouths can sting another person. While we prefer everyone speak kind and encouraging words, we know that we can do as much harm with our tongues as we can help with it. Let us watch what comes out of our mouths more closely to avoid hurting others.

The octopus also is a master of camouflage. It can change the entire color of its body as quick as three-tenths of a second. The difference between the octopus and others that use some masking feature is it does not just change to blend with its surrounding environment. It often mimics specific things underwater objects, like plants or rocks.

We can learn from this, as well. People want to fit in with the people around them. They dress like them, act like them, and often begin to think like them. We should quit trying to be something that looks like everyone else and mimic something different. I do not mean to be something you are not, but imitate what you can be, the best form of you. We all have areas in which we can improve. Now would be an excellent time to practice a better version of ourselves.

They are highly intelligent. A marine biologist videoed an octopus collecting coconut shells and building itself a home. Smithsonian.com reports, “However, the big-brained cephalopod can navigate through mazes, solve problems and remember solutions, and take things apart for fun–they even have distinct personalities.” The octopus has nine brains. One in the head and one in each arm. (No, they are not tentacles. Squids have tentacles. Octopuses have arms. Arms have suckers along most of their length, as opposed to tentacles, which only have them near their ends.) The octopus may see food, want it, and tell its arm what it wants, but the limb has a full understanding on its own of how to accomplish it.  Each brain thinks for itself while still working together to get things done.

I wish humans would do this. People tell others what to think, and many people just go along with it because it is much easier to let others think for us. We need to start thinking for ourselves, but also working with each other to make things happen for the greater good.

Another fascinating thing is they will lose and abandon an injured arm. Octopuses regenerate their lost limbs with no loss of function. Also, after hooking its arms to a predator, the octopus leaves the attached arm and wiggles as it escapes.

We need to let go of the things in our lives that hold us back and seek to destroy us. Hurts, offense, some people, fear, and grief can hinder our potential. There is a saying, “If you`re riding a horse and it dies, get off.”  Those things that are holding you back will not get you anywhere. Let them go, and you will be much further next year, than you are right now.