How tall and regal is the giraffe. His face is kind and noble, eyes dark brown and full of wonder about the world around him. Scanning through my pictures today, this particular one struck me...
As human beings we are blessed with the knowledge that God always has the upper hand yet we are all given free will. Our paths in life are walked with the hope that God is always with us and that he wants only good things for his children. Enter free will. Free will is also known as choices, these are the things that either help or hinder us along the way. How other's assist us has a lot to do with that as well.
Parents are a lot like God. We want only good things for our children. We pray that they are blessed and that their free will is used to lead them to that. And, like the Giraffe we too lift our heads high and stick our necks out to give them those opportunities. The knowledge that they must choose their paths, make their decisions makes sticking that neck out hard. Walking the life that God has chosen for you is not always easy, fun, nor is it what you planned. The difference in the giraffe and us is that we have outstretched arms and ability to comfort those children in our arms. When Zuri the baby giraffe was born at the Cincinnati Zoo, we made a point to go and see her at the zoo. I watched her canter around in the enclosed pen, her mother watching with those big brown eyes from a distance, allowing her to use her free will. For those of you who followed Zuri's story you know that she fractured one of her front legs and was casted for weeks. The veterinarians at the Zoo did everything possible to save her, keeping her confined, x-raying and changing the cast often to allow for growth and healing.
Sadly, all efforts were just not enough to save her. The Zoo and community was saddened when she had to be put down. It made me sad. Sad for the community, sad for the Zoo and all the employees who worked with her, and most of all sad for her Mother. Animals may not have the capacity to know all the details, but I am sure she has mourned for the dear little Zuri that she gave birth to, taught to eat, kept her clean and watched from a distance. Maybe the fracture was a result of her free will. The free will to run and jump and get into things the way children do, or maybe the fracture was a result of a physical defect. I never really got to the bottom of it. I am sure the Zoo has all the facts.
Ultimately, as a Mother. I have stuck my neck out for them on many occasions, but today I watch from a distance. Allowing my children to live their lives, choosing their paths and using that powerful free will to guide them. I pray they use it to their benefit and that God leads them.
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