From Eight Feet Above!

Each of us began as a single cell. This cell couldn’t move, think, see, or do things like laugh and talk. But the one thing it could do, and do very well, was divide—and divide it did. The lone cell became two, and then four, then eight and so on, in time becoming the amazing person that is you. Very cozy you’ve been in your mother’s womb and then you struggled to come out. You emerged with a wailing cry, open eyes and there with the gallon of air that you tried to breathe finally set you liberated from the confined walls of the amniotic sac.

And have you ever imagined the excitement of the people around who’ve been waiting for your arrival. The mind is crazy with thoughts about all the things to do and stuff to explore as you keep growing and are being nurtured by your loved ones. Think of how far you’ve come. You can laugh at a joke, stand on your head, read a book, eat an ice cream cone, hear a symphony, and do countless other things.

It’s that moment. That feeling of standing on the thin line that divides constraint from freedom.

And so here is this little guy, flexing and rolling in a warm, wet, jelly like stuff. His eyes are closed, his legs are feeble, but his thoughts are racing. He is waiting to be born. Into a world, where ‘he’ is the chosen one. The kingdom, whose next heir shall he be.

And finally, the big day arrives…….!

The impending birth is just moments away. Like any other living creature the baby giraffe impatiently looks forward to the moment, clutching on to its excitement and barely able to take control over the eagerness towards stepping into the ‘Real world’.

You wanted the Real World buddy? You got it! And Slam!

Head first – the baby giraffe is dropped to the ground.

Welcome dear friend! And breaking news: Giraffes give birth   –  standing!

It shrivels up and lies still; too weak to move.  Weakness aside it has got the shock of its life to have been ejected from this enclosed yet comfortable space, and dropped like a burnt out meteorite onto the earth.

“What the hell is going on here!!!?? And who the hell pushed me out so hard? I am not a pro at this dude…this is my first time!”

The First time always comes first, baby!

Partially recovering from the shock the baby is now trying to open its eyes…..sees his mother. Mother! I love you! I am hurt! Feed me! Hold me up! And don’t ever do that to me again!

The mother giraffe lovingly lowers her neck to kiss the baby giraffe. Aww….! How cute! 🙂

And then something incredible happens. She lifts her long leg and kicks the baby giraffe, sending it flying up in the air and tumbling down on the ground. And if you thought that Roberto Carlos or Beckham kicked hard, then listen up: the foot of a giraffe is the size of a dinner plate. You can guess the impact!

Hey! Hey! Wooah woah….! Ouch! What was that for….? As the baby lies curled up, the mother kicks the baby   – Again. And Again!

Until the baby giraffe, still trembling and tired, pushes its limbs and for the first time learns to stand on its feet.

“Enough! Get me Cry-sis Helpline! Corporal punishment is banned in the 19^th century! I read that somewhere on Twitter!!” Really? Was there WiFi in the womb? Lol!

Happy to see the baby standing on its own feet, the mother giraffe comes over and gives it yet another kick.What a wretched act!!?

The baby giraffe falls one more time, but now quickly recovers and stands up.

Mamma Giraffe is delighted . She knows that her baby has learnt an important lesson:  “Never mind how hard you fall, always remember to pick yourself up and get back on your feet.”

What the baby giraffe does not know, is that his meat comprises the main course in lions’ and leopards’ dinner. So unless it quickly learns to stand and run with the pack, it will have no chance of survival. This baby goes on to grow into among the tallest mammals on the planet, that can run as fast as 35 miles an hour…….!

Most of us though are not quite as lucky as baby giraffes. No one teaches us to stand up every time we fall. When we fail, when we are down, we stay down. We give up.

No one kicks us out of our comfort zone to remind us that to survive and succeed, we need to learn to get back on our feet.

Something…… that the baby giraffe learns…..from Eight feet above ! 🙂