(Photo is of one of our Next Step babies; Rose, courtesy of GlimmerGlass Photography)
Sometimes, in fact most times, we simply need to slow down, be patient, and trust. I think this is especially true when it comes to the time from conception to birth. You cannot rush the beauty of a developing child in his or her mother’s womb. You can only anticipate and be still. It is out of our control. There is not a mechanism or a procedure or even an app that can hurry along a child taking shape within. Sure sometimes he or she comes early, either unexpectedly or not, but that does not mean the child had time to fully grow. But she will.
I was reminded of this recently when I was watching an old Pixar movie called “A Bug’s Life” from 1998. There was a moment early on when the main character, an ant named Flik, is talking to Dot, a very small young ant, in his colony. Dot is lamenting the fact that despite being a “royal ant” she cannot even fly yet and is “too little”. Flik then tries to encourage Dot using a clever analogy of a seed who will, given time, become a mighty tree, like the large Oak in the middle of their little ant colony.
However he does not have a seed, he has a rock. It’s fairly humorous.
Flik: Pretend that’s a seed.
Dot: It’s a rock.
Flik: Oh I know it’s a rock. But let’s pretend, just for a minute, that it’s a seed. We’ll just use our imaginations. Now, do you see our tree? Everything that made that giant tree is already contained inside this tiny little seed. All it needs is some time, a little bit of sunshine and rain and voila!
Dot: This rock will be a tree?
Flik: Seed to tree. You’ve got to work with me here ok? You might not feel like you can do much now but that’s just because you’re not a tree yet. You just have to give it time. You’re still a seed.
Dot: But it’s a rock.
I was particularly struck by the part where he says that everything that made the mighty tree is already contained inside, it just needs time. Obviously we can compare that same concept to the child growing within the womb.
Did you know that since week 8 the human embryo possesses more than 90% of the structures found in an adult body?
And 90% of the major organs and systems are already formed and in place in a fetus by the end week 12 (3 months) gestational age. (my.clevelandclinic.org/health/7247-fetal-development-stages-of-growth)
The little one already has a heart beating in week 3 and the brain vesicles have formed and there are coordinated contractions
of the heart by week 4.
Brain waves have been recorded as early as 6 weeks and ovaries are identifiable by week 7.
By week 10 he or she is yawning!
This beautiful tiny miracle simply needs the time and space and love to grow and God created the perfect place within a woman for that very reason. We all began as tiny seeds. Every single human on this planet. And those of us alive at this moment were given that time.
I am so very thankful that my mother chose life for me.
Each day at Next Step we see women. Some are mothers already and some are not. Some are experiencing fear and uncertainty. Some even anger and resentment. We are not called to judge them but we are called to love them no matter the circumstances and spread the good news about the beautiful and intricate design He created so that we may share in the creation of life.
I invite you to check out the website https://erf.science/ and its informative articles, videos and images. Very, very cool.
Thank you for your continued prayers and advocacy on our programs that center on life at its earliest beginnings. When choices can still be made and lives can still be changed.
P.S. Save the Date!
Our annual Gala event is on Saturday September 19th in Edmonds. If you are interested in being a sponsor, hosting a table, or donating to our Silent Auction or our famous Dessert Auction please reach out to me! heather@nextstepnw.com