Awkward is Good

Today we walked through the mangroves on a sandy path. I felt as if I were in the garden of Eden. This was just how I remembered Florida as a child. There were very few people on the path or the beach. We followed the ocean for three miles stopping by to see the big blue cranes waiting for a fish dinner. Next, my husband and I came to a fork in the road and joked that on this sunny afternoon, we had to choose which sandy path to take through the forest. As we walked further, we saw a giant, sloppy nest in a dead tree. Inside, there was an owl with her babies. I was so intrigued how she had stolen the nest of an osprey and laid her eggs and now was nurturing her babes. She had recycled.

A bit later we observed another osprey nest, just as messy. They just sling together kindling and moss and create a large, loose nest. Inside we heard the chirping. The babies had hatched and were demanding food. It reminded me that babies everywhere rule the world. They demand and adults find answers.

As we wandered out of the mangroves, we saw signs that asked we not wade in the shallow water because various Gulf terns were nesting. They were sitting on their eggs and finding food. Their legs seemed tiny and thin, and their feet large and misshapen. However, those legs could race across the water.

Small egrets in a nearby area were also nesting. I envied their long and graceful bodies. . Their legs were so thin and their beaks so long. Their over sized feet seemed unfitting. Yet, their unique shape was strength. It made them agile, fast, and they could grab prey in a second. Next, a group of pelican appeared on the post. Everyone is amused at their awkward composition. Those beaks appear to outweigh their body.

I suddenly realized that my fragile areas could be my strengths too. Perhaps my need to feel comfortable made others feel comfortable. My lack of understanding of numbers, manual directions, or detail gave me opportunities to seek more. These weaknesses actually create a hunger in me to learn more and research the things I do not know. As I continued to walk, I realized how many of my weaknesses had given me opportunities to succeed in life. Just like the egret, I was perfectly designed.