~Putting Heels on my Shoes~

     Before I began taking Anthropology, I was afraid that I would have to learn evolution.  I was afraid of it because I didn't like the idea that I would sit in a class room and have a professor tell me that my ancestors were monkeys.  On some level, I was worried that if my faith took a direct hit from science, it might walk away bruised. 

    In the midst of me questioning if my faith could take an education, I also worried about the time I spend away from my family while I am getting an education. Because school is such a pleasure to me, I have questioned what I am taking away from my family with all of the hours I spend enjoying myself. 

    Two nights ago my son Jake came to me and he announced that they just found Lucy and Lucy was our ancestor!  Because we evolved from apes!

      I was mashing potatoes and I answered, "Oh, but Lucy is not our ancestor.  Lucy is an Australopithecus afarensis.  She was a hominid--one of the first bipedal apes!  We are from the genus Homo."

     I then went on to explain that bi-pedal means walking upright and that scientist can tell by the hips and foramen magnum--the hole in the base of the skull that let's all the blood veins and nerves attach to the brain.  I talked about brain size and shaped my face into a Lucy impression. He asked me to repeat all of the big words, and especially the ones that had to do with blood and veins.  Then he hooped with the joy of an eight year old boy who believes he has stumped the mama:

    "But mom!  Did you KNOW that we share 99% of the dna of a chimpanzee?" 

     I told him that we shared 98% with jelly fish, which isn't so remarkable:  amino acids are the building blocks of life, and they are such a good blue print for life that God used them on all of his living things. 

     The boy walked away with his info, back to the Discovery channel.  I had a motherly moment of clarity.  I realized that I hadn't given up anything by going back to school.  My faith is as unchangeable as my eye color; getting an education about evolution hasn't bruised my faith.  Instead it has given me heels for my shoes.  To understand that humans were the epitome of the amino acid blue print adds an extra element of divine.  Furthermore, my education is influencing the lives of my children.  I have more stories to tell, more lessons to teach, more simple truths to impart.

     My motherly moment lasted for approximately ten minutes; I relished those ten because I am aware that even ten minutes of feeling good are priceless.

      When the taters were creamy perfection, we set down to eat.  We said, "Come Lord Jesus Be our guest..." and then we began to eat.  My moment was still in full blossom when my daughter and husband had a conversation about me:

Kate:  Did you understand a word she just said?

Beloved:  I stopped listening when she started spitting out ten letter words.

Kate:   Do you think she knows what she is talking about?

Beloved:  She might just be making up words.

Kate:  When is she going to be done with Anthropology?

Beloved:  She's studying for finals, so we are almost done.

And then Jake jumped in:

You guys? amino acids?  The building blocks of life?  Did you know we share 98% of the same DNA as a jelly fish?

     Yeah, this education thing is going well.  My faith and my family are intact--and as a bonus I am the mother of the eight year old who likes to talk about DNA.  If he grows up and goes to medical school, it is totally my fault.

       

      

      

Comments

[Paige]

I love it. I didn't know about the jelly fish thingy. Very good infomation. You are so smart now that you go to school.
I think this is can one of those cross over blogs-the mommy blog that is full of science.

[kim]

Ditto my friend... now strut it sister, in your re-souled shoes.
Excellent blog. Blessing on your day.

[kim]

by the way, we also share 98% of the same genes utilized by a banana. And that info came straight out of my Anthro book. Sorta puts it all in perspective huh?

[Jackie]

I love this post. I have been eagerly awaiting my anthropology class I am taking in the spring just for the answer to the ancestor ape question.

Your kids are lucky to have such a smart mom!

My husband talks about my "Big Words" too.