The Intrinsic Wonder of the Human Body

Carson meets Great-Grandpa

I'm not even sure what the word 'intrinsic' means in the title of this post, but it sure sounds good. That may have been the title of my anatomy textbook.

So, yesterday Carson and I made a stop by the hospital to see Grandpa. We were able to visit with him for only a few seconds, and then we watched as he was moved him from his hospital bed to a stretcher to load him into a van and take him back to his assisted living center. Poor grandpa has been through countless transfers like these in the past couple of years, due to a myriad of health problems. Yesterday, he was in pain, uncomfortable, and (understandably) depressed.

As we left the hospital, it struck me that I was holding a very fresh, perfectly healthy 3-month-old little boy who's body might one day be in a state similar to the deteriorating 80-something-year-old man we had just seen. What an incredible change our bodies go through during the course of our lives!!

Not long after our visit with Grandpa, Carson and I set out on our daily jog. (Well, my jog; Carson's nap time in the jogging stroller.) It was FINALLY warm enough to go out in short sleeves and without bundling Carson up to the point of near suffocation. As I ran, I felt so incredibly grateful for my body! I have legs that can run and walk, arms that can hold my baby, and a mouth that can talk and taste ice cream. Obviously, the list of functions our bodies can perform is endless. Isn't it just neat??

So, yesterday I re-discovered how wonderful my body is, despite its lack of perfect proportions. I also was struck with the realization that, due to aging or accidents, I may not always be able to run, hold a baby, and taste ice cream. (I'm really hoping the taste buds keep going strong, though.) With the aging process unavoidable, I am extra grateful that I believe in a resurrection: a reuniting of Spirit with a perfect body.

For now, Carson and I will just keep taking care of our bodies. He knows what it's like to be in the hospital, and we'll keep him from going back there as long as we can! (Just mentioning Carson's hospital stay led me to reminisce about his birth...) Just look at this tiny body:

"I believe in the wonders of the human body and the miracle of the human mind. Take the human body alone—the chance that all the functions of the individual would just happen is a statistical monstrosity. Our bodies were designed by our Eternal Father to be the tabernacle of our eternal spirits."

-Gordon B. Hinckley