Serpent Star

I walked for five and a half miles this morning. This used to be a daily habit, but in recent times that habit has fallen away a bit since my walking companion was unable to join me. There are moments of sadness now as I try to start up my habit again, but I take it one day, one step at a time.

Today I wonder if the universe sent me a little message to say “keep going, you matter”…

I was wandering along the beach collecting pieces of sea glass and pottery that caught my eye, and I collected a bunch of plastic litter too. Then, at the high tide mark, I walked past this wee lassie. She was on her back, and I assumed she was dead, but as I carried on a few steps something tugged at me “go and check”. I stepped back and bent to turn her over, and she responded to my touch and moved. I picked her up and she immediately stood on the ends of her toes, and I thought “it’s your lucky day” and took her to the water’s edge and popped her back in the Firth. Two small waves later and she had moved back out to start life again.

I was rewarded seconds later with three beautiful and unusual pieces of sea glass, and you won’t mind if I ascribe a little magic to the whole thing.

She’s a Brittle Star, or Serpent Star, or an Ophiuroid – closely related to starfish. When I was trying to identify her, the first photo I found in my online search that helped was a photo of a fossil. These wee things have been around much longer than we have, which is food for thought when you consider what we have done to the seas in such a short space of time.