AMAZED

I am amazed by the grandeur of nature.    I cannot comprehend the unfathomable vastness of space.  The Grand Canyon can take my breath away.  An eagle in flight can make my spirit soar.  But it is the small and nearly invisible things that truly put me in awe of creation.

An example of this came to me recently as I was reading about, of all things, an egg.  An egg you say?  Yes, a simple egg.  Every living person could probably write a short paper about the “incredible, edible” egg.  Could there actually be a fact about the egg that I have never heard?  I’ve eaten and cooked with enough eggs that I should, along with the rest of the world, be an expert.  I have never raised chickens or scooped eggs from a nest but I have a friend who does this, and I have visited her chickens.  I have studied the content of the yolk and the white.  Good for you?  Not good for you?  (I will not comment other than to say I would have a very hard time not eating eggs!)

Anyway,  I have never thought much about the shell, other than how to crack it one-handed like they do on cooking shows, and still keep the shells out of food.  But to a chick, this shell must keep it safe while it is developing.  That means it has to be tough!  Then when the chick is ready to hatch, it must release the chick.  That means it must be weak!  How is that possible?

Well……….it turns out that the eggshell has 2 outer layers that are made strong by a protein that binds calcium.  Then when the chick is ready to hatch, the calcium from the inner layer is released and becomes part of the chick’s bone structure.  At the right time, the chick gets stronger and the eggshell gets weaker and then……….peck, peck, peck until the sun shines into the chick’s little world!

Such a simple but simply extraordinary system!  What beautiful design……I am amazed.

I NEED TO ASK FOR HELP

When someone asks “May I help you” or ” Do you need anything?”, how do you respond?   I am prone to say “No thanks, I am fine.” I HATE to appear weak or like I don’t know something I feel I should know.  But I recently read something that made me realize how off the mark I am.  It was a simple story about someone who was working hard to help a seriously ill family member.  She put off other things…….like looking at her messages…but when she eventually did, one was from a friend asking if she needed anything.  Her first response was to say no, because she was embarrassed!  That’s me!  I am embarrassed to ask for help!  Many times I have been too embarrassed to even ask a question!!

But I have been thinking lately about truth.  I value honesty, both in myself and others.  I am realizing that there are subtle ways we deviate from the truth. There are little ways we lie to others and ourselves.  It is a truth that if you are human, you are not truly self sufficient. There have been many who have helped and sacrificed for me in order for me to be where I am today.  No one can truly raise themselves and provide all of their own opportunities. We all need help in different ways.  I am realizing that my go to “I’m fine” answer says more about my pride than my real need.  I don’t like to admit that I need help.  I want the world to think I can take care of myself….that there is no problem I cannot solve.  I am NOT needy!

I need to try to understand better when and where I need help.  That would be a better use of my energy than hiding my needs from the world and even myself.  It is not a sign of weakness to admit you need help.  It is often a necessary first step to moving forward.  So I am resolving to admit I AM needy.  After all, it has been true all along. .. and pretending not to be is not healthy.  Besides, pretending to have it all together all the time is exhausting!