One of the greatest privileges of my life was also the source of the most amazing moments I have encountered. As a pediatrician, I was called to attend many high risk deliveries and c-sections. As parents, we rarely get the opportunity to hold a baby the moment it is born. I never took those moments for granted. Newborn babies aren't pink and soft. They are covered in blood and a cheesy protective covering and are often blue. But then you start to dry them off and rub their backs and they take that first gasp and HELLO WORLD! Eyes open in bewilderment, shrill, but beautiful, cries come out of tiny mouths, legs that have never stretched out suddenly pop straight, hands stretch open (because we do a lot of stuff to irritate them - it's all good; it helps them breathe and become alert). And then, once all the measurements have been taken, the Vitamin K has been given, and the baby has been wrapped tight, a second wonderful moment - introducing the parents to their new miracle. What a privilege to be part of such a moment of intimacy. I do miss that.
Though they pale in comparison, there are other moments that stop me in my tracks.
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As a child I fished in a rowboat with my grandfather whenever I could. The whole experience was magical to me - the lap of the water, the herons swooping overhead, and the water skimmers - I would watch them more than my bobber. But the most extraordinary moments occurred when a damselfly decided to perch on the end of my fishing pole. These iridescent, fragile appearing beauties that usually flitted by would decide to grace me with their presence. I was lost then. I cannot see a dragon or damselfly without thinking of grandpa.
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I have been fascinated by the moon forever. As a child, I could not get over the fact that no matter how far we drove, the moon always followed. And I loved the man in the moon. That face made me happy. Now I marvel over the fact that our moon actually has that face, that human face, on it. That it controls the ebb and flow of the oceans and is instrumental in the gravitational pull of the planet. This dusty rock circling our planet, this luminous satellite, will forever fill me with awe.
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My husband is fascinated (FASCINATED) with lightening. I don't imagine it takes much explaining for anyone to understand why. The sheer power, from little bits of static electricity coalescing, is extraordinary. Have you ever been near a lightening strike and felt the change in the air, smelled the ozone, and watched the hairs on your arm stand up? While I'm not advocating trying to get near a lightening strike, I can attest that it is an experience you will never forget.
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What can I say about a rainbow? God's gift, the sign of His first covenant with us, is incredible. Imagine hundreds of years ago, before physics and chemistry, when a person looked at a rainbow, what must they have thought? It is a visible representation of the majesty, mystery, and miracle of our God.
And I've only scratched the surface. The aurora borealis, birds in flight, tornadoes, herds of buffalo, I could go on and on. Keep your eyes open to the majesty that surrounds you. And remember to thank the One that gave it to you.
