Sometimes, as you find your eyes transfixed on something as lovely as a pond, you ponder the larger questions of life. Other times, if you're like us, the questions go deeper. The questions get so deep that you begin to wonder what goes on along the depths of the very pond you are staring into.

In Balboa Park, the well-known reflecting pool or Lily Pond, seductively lulls us into a serene state of mind. If you look carefully, beyond your own reflection, you might see some interesting stuff.

Ordinarily, time spent by the Lily Pond will bring the beauty of the pond into full view. The tranquil water moves slighly with the movement of the Koi. At certain times of the year, the pond is accented with the Lotus flowers which grow from the muck at the bottom of the pond. The delicate Lotus flower rises above the water in white or pink varieties opening up to 15 or more oval, spreading petals. Gotta love nature.

There's more than meets the eye at the Lily Pond. Lurking under the lily pads is "Bubba" the giant catfish. This guy is so big that he probably weighs around 30 lbs. "Bubba" and many other things get dumped into the beautiful pond. But, for those interested in "Bubba" it is important to note that he wasn't 30 lbs when he was tossed in by some faceless (thoughtless) person. The pond has grown on "Bubba" and he, in turn, has grown into his largesse. "Bubba" owns that pond. He can often be found at the south-east corner of the pond hiding. Poor guy. It's not easy being a big fish in a small pond.

UPDATE: July 2009 - "Bubba" has died. He apparently died of natural causes. For those of us who enjoyed this immense pond fish, we will miss him. The south-western corner of the pond will never be the same without seeing "Bubba" make his rounds.

Over the years, for whatever the reason, people have dumped both living things and inanimate objects into the Lily Pond. For example, every year hundreds of crawdads are dumped into the pond and they are found clutching their way along the bottom. A Bala Shark was spotted once with his dorsal fin cutting through the surface of the still water to the shock of onlookers. Bass fish and household fish have also been hurled into the pond. There was a time when a Desert Tortoise was found at the bottom of the pond, clinging to life. Desert Tortoises don't belong in water. Not smart. The tortoise succumbed. Then, of course, there was the one-eyed Snapper who mysteriously found his way into the Lily Pond. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

It's one thing to question why anyone would schlep a kitchen appliance to Balboa Park, but then you'd also have to try to figure out why they'd go ahead and dump a toaster oven into the pond. As if that was not odd enough, finding a man in his yellow undies (yes, yellow skivvies) swimming in the pond as if it was his own personal lap pool makes you scratch your head. However, he was outdone by the dude who was found submerged in full scuba gear using a flood light investigating the bottom of the pond during the wee hours of the night. The San Diego Police Department fished him out.

Like most ponds or fountains, people wish for good luck when they toss coins into the water. Change is always good. For Balboa Park groundskeepers, the coins can add up. There was a time when the money lying at the bottom would be given to the homeless men and women that come through Balboa Park. More recently, with budget constraints, the money collected goes into a small horticulture fund to help offset costs. A penny for your thoughts on how much they might collect.

Back in World War II, the pond served as a place of therapy and relaxation for servicemen. The herons use this place to seek and snatch Koi for their next meal. Visitors to the pond, on the weekends, can find a Mariachi singer playing the same song, "Guantanamera," over and over with a bad guitar. And on a perfect day, you can catch a glimpse of a flock of white doves set free in the sky above the pond during a performance at the nearby San Diego Zoo. And yes, there have been many occasions when an unsuspecting child filled with enthusiasm and glee, leans just a bit too far forward and slips into the pond. Oops.

Clearly, the Lily Pond is many things to many people. Some see it as dumping ground. But for the rest of us, it is a beautiful pond to enjoy no matter what's going on around or beneath the the surface of the Lily Pond.