Twice this past week I have been reminded of life's most precious gift. Most people think of it as a miracle. And even if you do not believe in miracles you most certainly stand in awe when first you see a newborn, whether it is a human or an animal, or even something people rarely see, a newly hatched praying mantis.
If you see a newly hatched preying mantis you are privileged indeed. I have witnessed the hatching of these beneficial insects. For about the first 30 minutes of their life outside the egg case, their bodies are transparent and you mostly see two big black eyes. As they age in minutes they take on their natural color and you notice the triangular head and long legs with the forearms in praying position. The hatching occurs outdoors when the warm days of late spring or early summer arrive. They can be hatched indoors. I have witnessed that in a classroom when a child had forgotten to take an egg case from his desk in the fall. It interrupted a spelling test I was giving to a class of second graders. The child thought they were spiders but I soon saw that it was instead several hundred tiny praying mantises leaving their egg case. The heat in the room initiated their hatching.
Being able to witness the birth of a pet kitten or puppy is much more common but still a mesmerizing event. You want to protect these newborns and give them their best chance of survival.
Many years ago I accidentally ran across some newly hatched turtles. I had no idea they were down under the ground the day that I began to dig a hole. After a few lifts of my shovel I saw something white, then the tiny brown turtles crawling about over the clods of dirt, leaving their soft, white shells behind. Needless to say, I left them where I found them. Their mother had deposited her eggs in the most advantageous place for their survival.
Today after church it was cold and windy so I offered to drive a lady home. When we arrived at her house she wanted me to come inside to see something. I was unaware of what she wanted to show me until we got inside. What I saw was her one month old grandson. His name was "Eli". He may have been named after the high priest and judge of Israel, Eli, in the old testament. Little Eli will grow up with family to love and protect him, unlike the baby turtles and praying mantises which will have to fend for themselves.
The other occasion in my mind this week took place on Saturday at our church. The ladies had gathered for a baby shower. Our only member who is young enough to bear children was being honored that day. She too will bear a son. He will have much loving support from parents, grandparents and even great grandparents to give him encouragement and guidance as he finds his place in this world.
The sermon today was taken from Matthew 19:13-14, and it emphasises my thoughts today. These verses tell of the occasion when young children were brought to see Jesus. He was traveling with his disciples and they did not want Jesus to be delayed by any interruptions. However Jesus said, "let them come to me for of such is the kingdom of heaven". I think Jesus was pointing out that children are valuable to us and we should make time for them.
Being a parent is probably the biggest challenge one can face with no formal training to show the way. It is learn as you go with help coming from various sources. Fortunately our make-up is such that we instinctively want to protect these helpless babies. For they are indeed precious gifts to be loved and nurtured. Nature instilled the female of the animal species with a maternal streak to fend off any danger in order for the innocent ones to thrive. Just watch enough nature films and you will see what happens when a mother bear with cubs is encountered in the woods. The same spirit can be seen in other animals and in birds. For us of the human ilk it becomes more complicated and for longer duration. Suffice it to say, new life demands the best from us and as in most other things, your results are generally a reflection of your effort and expertise.
Accepting the responsibility of new life is a sacred trust, not to be taken lightly.
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