More Tadpoles

PS: Another funny story about tadpoles.  Recently, Dania, the director of our school, made a public service announcement that we should all remember to pour water in the toilet when we have gone #2, and it won’t flush.  She asked the students hypothetically, “Now if you were at home, you wouldn’t just leave that there in the toilet now would you?  What would you do?”  While most of the kids mumbled quietly in agreement and defeat that they would pour water on it, Joel announced the entire primary school, God, and whoever else was within earshot “I only pee at school! I never poop here!” Thanks, Joel. 

Now you’re probably thinking—Kevin, this has nothing to do with tadpoles.  You caught me; the first part of the story doesn’t have a thing to do with tadpoles, but what happens next does.  My special friend, Darwin, a kind of child version of St. Francis, raised his hand and explained to Dania that he didn’t want to pour water from the pila (a kind of concrete reservoir of water) because someone would hurt the “animalitos.”  His concern showed in his face and gestures. Having no clue what he was talking about, Dania assured him repeatedly that not “animalitos” would be harmed.  Dirty water won’t hurt the fish in the sea, Darwin.   Darwin’s preoccupation could not be assuaged…that’s not what he was talking about.  It seems that there are animalitos in the pila, and Darwin just wanted to make sure that the young tadpoles had a chance to survive.  Mary Clare, take a lesson from Darwin (and not the Natural Selection guy—the little boy from the Finca del Niño).

Psalm 103

God surrounds you with love and compassion…God’s love towers over the faithful.

Tomás is very small, miniscule even, and very delicate.  He is helpless.  He cannot move around on his own.  He’s totally dependent.  I have been charged with his care.  Tomás is a gecko (really a gecko egg at this point), but he has a lot of potential and a name.

How did I come to be the adoptive caregiver of this young reptile?  Well, my special friend Darwin, a real lover of animals, found him in the corner of the chapel near the feet of the Mary statue.  During rosary on Tuesday night, Darwin gifted him to me.  I found myself cradling a tiny gecko egg in one hand while trying to count my Hail Marys with the other.

So Darwin and I traded off holding Tomás during rosary.  Once it was over and all the kids had trickled back home, I was left with Tomás in my hand—just sitting there silently.

Darwin had told me how to take care of him, “Wrap him up in some cloth and put some sand over him to keep him warm.  You are to show him to your students, too.”

Yes, he was in my care now.  I watched him with great concern, and I closed my hand gently around him, and there was the world in the hand of God.  There was God gently, carefully, lovingly enveloping the world in the warmth of His love and the pressure of His touch…but not too much.  Too much and we would be crushed, splattered yolks with no chance for life or love.  To much and we would never meet our full potential, live the life we are called to live.  And there was Tomás happy and free, guarded and loved—just enough not too much.

And happy feast of St. Francis of Assisi!