Life Lessons: Betta Fish

I write to you this morning with a lot on my mind. Our family is one step closer to moving back to New York as my mother prepares to put her home in Chicago for sale. I have many projects to finish and many more conversations to reply to. However, I find myself wondering what to do with my Marimo Moss Garden.

Before I opened my Etsy store officially on Sept 1st of this year, I began farming succulents and Tillandsia air plants. The air plants and succulents admittedly take time to grow and propagate naturally into clumps with babies. I've had to buy some plants to keep my garden and my creativity going. My gardens are thriving and I hope to begin selling plants which are only grown and cared for by myself.

For many years, I've had Marimo Moss Balls in my fish tanks. I didn't realize they were so popular on Etsy and have been hesitant to sell from my own tanks. I don't want other artists thinking I'm pushing into their market. Honestly, there aren't that many various way to display the little moss balls which have to be surrounded by water.

This morning, I'm reconsidering. A couple months ago, my son returned to our home with an unannounced friend- a female Betta fish. It was very wounded from being in his cousin's tank with other Bettas. (Can you hear my head slamming my desk at

this point in our introduction to this fine fishy friend?)

So I poured a lot time, care, and money into establishing a wonderful tank all her own. I don't have a picture of her with new red and black fins, which saddens me now. She loved her aquatic Wisteria plants and the little Marimo balls from the community tank that she pushed around to play.

I came back from shopping to notice the tank's lid ajar, and my little baby gone. Perhaps, my son accidentally moved the lid and didn't notice to fix it. Perhaps, I should have made sure her the tank was fine in his room before I left. Maybe I should have made sure the cats weren't in his room. The community tank's lid is clamped on, but I hadn't done it yet to hers. Either way, William likely doesn't feel the same vested interest I did in this little life. He has a preference of fluffy and tangible over neat to look at. Now I have a great tank full of baby and adult sized Marimo moss balls without any fish to lovingly push them around the floor bed.

/le sigh.

Anyone interested in little moss balls in water that bring good luck (if you're not a betta fish)??