Watch out for falling tortoises

In exercise class this week I managed to run 8 lengths of the hall in 50 seconds (normally I take one minute).  I was pleased with myself until the 81-year-old man ran 8 and a half in the same time.

I was wondering what else I could write about then I read Victor's blog and was inspired. 

by Tobias Verhaecht, in the Met Museum

Did you know that ancient Greek dramatist and poet, Aeschylus, was killed when an eagle deliberately dropped a tortoise on his head mistaking his bald pate for a stone that would break the tortoise's shell?

I didn't but I am not very well up on Greek history. Or should that be mythology? Apparently the cause of his death was quite possibly made up for the sake of irony. It had been foreseen that Aeschylus, the father of Greek tragedy, would die by way of a falling object. Accounts vary as to whether he stayed outside to avoid falling objects or whether he rarely went outside to avoid falling objects. 

His death has ensured, however, that he is regularly on Top Ten Embarrassing Ways to Die lists.

* * * * *

Something else Victor mentioned reminded me of our discussion in bible study on Tuesday.

When I was a stay at home mum back in the 80s and 90s if anyone asked what I did my answer would always be, ‘I’m just a mum.’

Then one day I think I must have read something because I suddenly realised how much I was putting myself down by adding the ‘just’ in front of ‘a mum’. (I think I even wrote a story about it. I’ll have to see if I can find it: find out what happened in the end!)

Not only putting myself down but degrading the job of mothering, caring, nurturing, to something that wasn’t important. That anyone could do – and probably better than me. 

In reality  bringing up a child is the most important job in the world. Okay, one of the most important. 

I was reminded of this in bible study last night when Tamsin, while sharing her story, said job-wise she’d only ever been a carer. At this point Ric jumped in. ‘No job is more important than the one you do. Whatever it is every job needs to be done and is of equal importance.’

It’s very easy for us to downplay our roles in life, to say, ‘I’m only a carer, only a cleaner, only a dustbin man, only a mum.’

But each of those jobs is essential. 

In Paul’s letter to the church at Rome he talks about us all being part of the same body. We may have different roles to fulfil but each one is needed. He wrote, "If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;  if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully."

I know the bible is the inspired word of God but, nevertheless, it’s written by men, and controlled/chosen by men. I can’t help thinking how the list might look if  Martha had written it. I think her priorities would have been different.

"If your gift is looking after, do it kindly, if your gift is nurturing, do it conscientiously, if your gift is cooking, make it tasty, if your gift is listening do it sympathetically, if your gift is singing, try to stay in tune, if your gift is cleaning, kill those germs!"