← The Deep End with Eric Triplett
The Deep End with Eric Triplett
S2-E35: Fleeting Beauty: What Sakura and Koi Teach Us About Life
00:30:40
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- [00:06]
A
There are moments in time when everything slows down. And there's a moment in Japan specifically that's called sakura. And it's a reminder that moments like this don't last forever. And I think that's something most of us miss in this beautiful short life of ours because we get too busy chasing the next thing instead of appreciating what's right in front of us at that moment. And today I want to talk specifically about sakura and I'll get to the deeper meaning of it. But we're not just going to talk about cherry blossoms, but we're going to talk about koi, beauty, time, and why the things that don't last are often some of the most valuable things in our memory, in our life. And what's what sakura really means. I looked it up here. Sakura is, it signifies the ephemeral beauty of life, mortality and the renewal in Japanese culture. And more specifically, Sakura and I don't speak Japanese, but more specifically sakura means the cherry blossom. And if you know anything about, you know, Japanese culture, the cherry blossom, you know, there are lots of tattoos with it, lots of art like this. Cherry blossoms are, you know, super important to the culture. And you know, the more I look at it, the more I understand just how, how beautiful it is. Because the cherry blossom, it symbolizes the fleeting nature of existence. The short lived, brilliant blossoms represent both life and death because it's a renewal. And this is something of a tradition, like a thousand year old tradition of appreciating the beauty and the rebirth and that short, short time span that is, you know, ephemeral. The blossoms are coming, they hit, they're not here for very long and then they're gone. And specifically it's that short window of time everyone's waiting on pins and needles for these blooms to come because it's such a big part of their culture. And the entire culture pauses at that specific time of the year to witness it. And they gather under the blossoms and they spend time. And I think it's called hanami, when the gathering under the blossoms and it's a very intentional appreciation of this beautiful moment in time. And it only comes once a year. And so as you can imagine, you can count how many times you can have this in your life, right? Then you think about it when you're a baby, when do you remember your first time maybe being under the cherry blossoms? Maybe five or six years old, I'm just guessing. And then do you get to be 100? So you got 95 chances in life to do that? And that's extraordinary. That's not very common. But imagine an entire culture deciding to slow down to witness this. And. And I just feel like in the States we don't do that here. We rush past everything in this moment. In Japan, Sakura. It forces the presence. And what's crazy is that the same philosophy exists in another part of Japanese culture that I've built my life around. And that's koi. And koi are kind of in the same lesson, but it is stretched over time. You have more time to watch these koi develop, but seasonally there's moments where that koi are as a living piece of art have developed to a certain spot. They grow, they change and evolve. And there's those peak moments versus the decline. So I just got back from the All American Koi show and part of the All American Koi Show. In any koi show, whether it's All Japan koi show or whatever you are across the country, these shows are about taking this beautiful living animal, this piece of living art, and displaying it. And there's only a certain moment, there's a certain moment in time when that fish is perfect. And that's what these shows represent. And while the koi who won last year almost never wins the next year because the moment of time has passed, I'm not saying that's never happened where a big beautiful koi has won multiple years in a row, but it's very, very rare because again, you have these peak moments where the fish is at its biggest. Because, I mean, at a koi show, size is probably the biggest, most important thing of, you know, a size from a toe size size to a knee size second year old. And then, you know, there's a moment where you're getting, you're going for 100cms, you're trying to get three foot. So the size is so important. And then from there becomes structure of the fish. And of course, if it's huge, the structure needs to be right to make that happen. But there's the moments where it's perfect. Now in the spring with the cherry blossoms, there's that moment where it's perfect. They all bloom, they all hit at the same time and then they fall, right? So in a sense of a koi show, you can take a koi to a show and one year it hits its absolute peak. And you either are the best in class, you are the best in the show, you are the grand champion, or someone else beats you because the one, there's one koi that always will outshine the others, right? If you put two perfect koi next to each other, if you really look at them, one will be better than the other. And then again, you know, next year someone else has taken that spot as far as the koi's go. So, you know, as I think about it, you know, the colors got to peak at the right time. You know, the Benny, the red color and the sumi the black has to come up at the same, you know, like a lot of times these colors will, will peak at different times and the goal is to get them to peak at the same time. At the same time. You got to go to the shoi as you transport them to the show and, you know, hopefully the stress doesn't break the fish down. Like it's. There's so much involved in it and it's such a special moment. And so if you've ever gone to a koi show and you've walked the tanks and you've looked in to witness these amazing koi, you know, to understand how rare and special that moment is for that one fish to win, to take the trophy, right, the body shape in its prime versus its aging. And the judges are really chasing that fish. The judges, that's their goal, is to see the most perfect fish of the year. The moment in time, in perfection. Now when the time passes, does the fish get worse or is it just passing through its moment?
- [08:10]
B
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- [09:24]
A
These are Some of the reasons why koi can be so expensive. You know, a lot of times people say, why are these koi so expensive? Because it's more rare than you might believe. And while some people can walk up to a pond full of beautiful koi fish and they can't necessarily pick out which fish is better than the other, they just don't have the experience yet, and they don't know what to look for. Right. While someone who is more of an expert can walk up to that koi pond and just really pick out the ones that really make sense. But why do. Why do people obsess over them? Is it because they change and they develop? And it. It gives us a sense of our own mortality and the way things move and. And the way we're aging in these special moments in time because things just. They don't. We. We don't. We can't stay perfect. You can't freeze the moment. And in fact, if. If a koi stayed perfect forever for as long as it lived, then they wouldn't be so special and they wouldn't cost so much because there's so much into them. And it ties back to our businesses and our life in our relationships. You know, these. Our physical peak versus aging. You know, as we get older, we can't do what we used to. We're not as fast as we used to be, things of that nature. And while you might be listening to this and feel like at your peak right now, the best shape of your life, there will be that moment in time where you pass through and you pass over and the decline starts. No matter how hard you work at it, the value is, in fact, that it won't last. And that's why it's so important for us to enjoy those special moments. Whether it's our physicality or our relationships or our, you know, our business, our hobbies of, like that we need to live in those moments. And in my world, you know, I think about ponds and I think about koi and bonsai trees and the cultural aspect of it and touching people's lives with water. I think about those. The backyard transformations where we take someone's yard from boring and, you know, just simple to transformative to where we're creating an outdoor environment where, you know, people are moved by sound of the water, the look of the water, the feel of the fish they're moved by every single day, not only from it being in their backyard, but from that experience that pushes through the windows in visual and through the audio as you open the doors. Or the blinds or any of that nature and the reflection of it at night, glimmering. Like those transformations. When I can create a moment like that, that someone can live over and over again, it's pretty special to me. And I have to pinch myself multiple times, you know, a week, a day or whatever, just to be like, I get paid to do this. This is crazy. But when we create these transformations in people's backyards, I see. I physically see clients slow down. I physically see, you know, the aura in the. In the way they live, you know, become more peaceful that that sound of water is forcing the presence and the. And. The overall impact of. From their blood pressure to, you know, to relieve them from a busy day, a stressful day, and they can just come home and, like, wind down. I mean, I've seen people sit next to their ponds for the very first time, and just, like, you see it stop. You see them find that moment, and it's that moment is that Sakura. Like, in that moment that they just don't realize it. And it's hard to take Sakura, something that happens once a year, and the cherry blossom aspect of it, and try and recreate this as many times as possible in a year in someone's backyard. But again, while most people are running around chasing promotion, chasing upgrade, chasing whatever, it's an upgrade in their vehicle or in their job or in whatever it is in their life, you know, sometimes when what they actually need is just a place to slow down and enjoy the moment is they. They run right over the moment, and they never even experience it at that deep level. And this is all coming through to me because I'm just learning of sakura. I mean, I do live in the moment whenever I can. I do see it. I do witness it, whether it's a sunset on my mountain bike up on a hill, or if I'm out in an environment where there's, you know, the poppies are blooming like crazy in California, and I can just slow down enough to just, like, take it in and look at it, you know, wherever it is in your life. Whether that's that stop and smell the roses kind of moment. That seems to be like the Sakura moment, right? Well, the reason this is kind of hitting me the way it is today is because I just learned about that term, that word, Sakura, because someone invited me to a sakura festival local to Redlands. Look, you know, it's like one of my hometowns. I lived in Redlands for 25 years. And it's interesting because there's a Japanese cultural center in Redlands that we've been communicating with to try and bring that koi culture into things that they do and events that they do. And they invited me to come to the Sakura Festival. It happens to be at Escape Brewery. It's a little brewery down there in Redlands. It's a beautiful little spot, wonderful little brewery. And in fact, they're our customers. They have a pond and they come to our ranch and they get fish and supplies and they get aquatic plants and all that stuff.
- [16:29]
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- [17:11]
A
And the connection, it's interesting because the more we make relationships with people and then we connect the dots between the different relationships with the people that are in our lives, that's what just happened here. And so he mentions the Sakura Festival. It's Escape Brewery. I go to Escape Brewery to kind of figure out, you know, like, what is the festival, what time does it start, what's my in and out, what's my access, you know, can I bring coy safely to this event to help, you know, share the culture of koi and Japan in said environment? Right. Is it outdoors, is it indoors, these kind of things. So when I get there, come to find out, I, you know, this is all, this is all just flushing over me. I just didn't know it. But when I get there, they have a Sakura beer. So they made this beer, this seasonal beer with the cherry blossoms. And I thought, wow, this is very cool. So of course, you know, I'm going to go over there and order me one of these Sakura beers so I can, you know, sample was quite delicious. I. I really enjoyed it. And I sat in that moment. I looked at this beautiful business in this beautiful setting and just soaking it in. And I didn't even really know what sakura meant at the time. But then that is, the pieces of the puzzle started to hit me. Okay, is the Sakura Festival. Sakura means the cherry blossom. But it is so much deeper than that, as I've just explained, because I had to dig a little bit, I had to do a little research and I want to share a tattoo story with you quickly because now this is my personal experience with getting some Japanese tattoos for koi, what have you. Right? So it hits me a little bit stronger now, the meaning behind what happened to me, I don't know, 12 or 13 years ago when I got my first koi tattoo. You know, I got. I got a half sleeve. I wanted the. I wanted the, you know, the koi on there swimming up the arm. I wanted it yellow to represent prosperity, swimming upstream as if, you know, it's headed to the Dragon Gate to become a dragon, you know, at the end of its life and, you know, all these things. And then, so I'm thinking about, you know, the waves, Japanese waves in. In, like, the. Their culture, their art form of tattoos. Like, the waves are always very cool. But then there's clouds, too. The clouds are amazing. Like a Japanese style tattoo. The clouds are unbelievable. And then. Then there's the flowers, of course, there's the cherry blossom. And it was on my mind 15 years ago, and I was like, I'm gonna get a Japanese koi tattoo. I'm gonna get the cherry blossoms, but they also have the peony flower. And the peony flower is a. Is a big, robust, beautiful flower. And I remember sitting down. It took me two years to find the right artist that I wanted. Found him out of la, and I remember sitting down with him. He didn't speak very good English. He was a younger guy, long hair, lots of tattoos and all this stuff. But, you know, you were talking to him in very broken kind of English. And I was trying to explain to him what I wanted. And I told him, you know, I want the clouds and I want the, you know, the flowers, and I want the koi, and I want the waves and, you know, all this stuff. And he had a hard time trying to ground me a little bit. And I just. I remember telling him, like, I want this to be a really authentic Japanese tattoo. I spent a lot of time finding the person I wanted. You're the person. I love your technique, your style. I love everything about it. And so I want you to make sure it's like, you know, an authentic, beautiful Japanese tattoo. You know, I didn't hire a Caucasian to do it. I didn't go down to Louisiana, have some, you know, guy in a tattoo shop, you know, do a koi tattoo. I didn't go to Las Vegas and just find a cool tattoo shop and, like, say, hey, put a koi on my arm, right? I literally wanted it to be authentic to where if another Japanese tattoo artist saw it, they would go, wow, that's A really good Japanese koi tattoo, because, as you know it, not all koi tattoos look alike. But there's a moment right here when he explained to me, and it took a while to come through to me, but he said, hey, I. I. You shouldn't do the. The clouds and the water in the same tattoo on your arm as a half sleeve. And, you know, I wasn't having it. I'm like, what are you talking about? I want it all. You know, I want it really cool. But, you know, like, if you've never had a tattoo before, you think like, a half sleeve, like, from your shoulder to your elbow. That's. That's a big spot, you know, all the way around your whole arm. That's. That's a lot of. That's a big area. So. But in the sense of the culture of. Of the tattoos and stuff like that, he told me, like, hey, it would make sense if we did, like, water on your calves, like, on your. Like, below the knees, and then you worked your way up, and then somewhere up at the top by your chest and your shoulders, and the clouds would be there. That would make more sense. But not in the same tattoo, you know, not in the same spot on your. On your shoulder and arm. And so it started to make sense to me, and I was like, okay, cool. I get it. I'll. I'll give that up. I just want water because I'm. I'm the pond digger. I. I surf, you know, skateboarding. Like, I'm in the sun. Like, I want water, so. And it's a koi fish on my own. That's what I want. We're gonna do that. He's like, okay, we'll do. We'll do the waves. Then we had to choose the koi. The koi was easy part for me. He did amazing koi. And then it was like, okay, let's do the flowers. I said, I want peony flower. I want the, you know, the cherry blossoms. You know, work it all around there. And then I saw this look in his face. He's like. And explain to me something that I didn't want to hear again. And I'm like, okay. And this is where it hits, because sakura, okay, it's the flower. It's the bloom, because the peony flower is a summer flower and the cherry blossom is a spring flower. And so he explained to me, as you can imagine and very difficult to understand, that just choose one or the other, because now we're talking seasons. And so the culture behind their art and behind the way they think and behind, you know, the specificity of how this tattoo should come together. He was trying to explain to me. He's basically like, you asked me to only make sure it's done right. You only get to choose one flower and we'll do lots of them or if you want, but we only get one cherry blossom or peony, which one are you going to take? And so now here I am stuck again and make a decision. I got to go clouds, I got to go water. I get one or the other. And then now it's like, okay, now I gotta do, you know, spring flower or summer flower? Now I'm a summer guy. I like the heat, I like the ocean. I'm like, I gotta go summer. So I leaned peony flower. I did not get my cherry blossoms. But now that I know what sakura means, now that I know it's a thousand year old tradition of appreciating the beauty and the rebirth in that moment in time. Now I understand where he's coming from all these years later. Hey, it's Triplett here. Listen. In a world where quality is often overlooked, Helix Life Support stands proud, bringing you American made excellence for your koi ponds and water gardens. And I want you to know I worked in the field for over 15 years and had professionally built nearly a thousand ponds before I designed my own proprietary filtration equipment. So trust and believe when I say that Helix Life support is a product line that was crafted for those who demand durability, advanced technology and a deep commitment to fish friendly designs. Now at the heart of the product line is our patented, award winning Helix pond skimmer. Built with the safety for your koi and other fish as our top priority. No sharp edges, no unnecessary risks. Just an innovative fish friendly skimmer you can trust. And every piece of Helix equipment that's made is with high quality materials so you can get a filtration system that's as tough and reliable as it is efficient. Whether you're a first time pond builder or professional contractor looking to elevate your game, my team and I are ready to help you realize that vision for personalized pond design assistance or to get your hands on Helix Life Support filtration equipment, give us a call today at 800-522-5043. That's 800-522-5043. Support American craftsmanship and choose Helix Life Support for your pond. Built for koi, built for life, built for you. Now I understand where he's coming from. All these years later, it's about that Culture, and it's about that environment. It's not just an event, you see, it's a chance to experience, like that moment, like experience it for real. And it's easy to hear me talk about it, but to slow down enough to really put yourself in the position to enjoy the moments as they hit, that's different. So just remember there's a moment in time when everything slows down. I think about, you know, you know when you're in an accident and you feel like it's in slow motion, that's your body's way of making you slow down and understanding that moment. So maybe you don't make that mistake again. If you should live through it, right, that moment in time, just remember that moment in time when it happens. In Japan, there's a very special moment. It's called sakura. And whether it's a cherry blossom moment for you or koi at its peak, or maybe a quiet moment next to some water at a sunset, the question is, are you paying enough attention while it's happening in that moment? Let this be a reminder that those moments, the moments like that, don't last forever. So if this episode hit you in some way, if it made you think a little bit deeper, then don't just move on to the next thing. Sit with it for a minute. Let it sink in. Because the truth is, the moments that matter the most, they do not last forever. They are fleeting. The ephemeral beauty of life. Think about that. And whether it's that koi in its peak, or a season of your life with your kids or your spouse or your parents, or a quiet moment by yourself you didn't realize was so special until it's gone. That's the work. That's the work that you have to put in, slowing down enough to actually experience it while it's happening. That's my gift to you. Today it's triplet here, and I'm sign out. You've been hanging out with me, the deep end. Stay grounded, stay intentional, and dig into those ephemeral moments in your life. Hey, it's triplet here. Let's be real. In a world of reels, swipes and virtual trends, it's easy to forget what really moves the needle. Pond Trade magazine isn't chasing clicks. It's preserving the craft of water features, arguably the last stronghold of long form education in our industry, where real pond builders, koi pros and innovators share their knowledge unfiltered and unrushed. You won't find gimmicks or clickbait in Pawn Trade, you'll find depth, detail, strategy, story. From advanced filtration systems and aquatic plant care to retail strategies and contractor spotlights, pond trade is where the best in the business speak freely and where the next generation of pond builders learn what it really takes. If you build ponds for a living, maintain them, design them, or dream about doing it all better, this is your magazine. Delivered free, written by professionals, respected by the entire industry. This isn't just content for the algorithm, it's content for legacy. Subscribe now@pond trademag.com Stay connected to the heart of the pond world. Now back to the show.