When I Feel As Hopeless As An Ethiopian Baboon (the threat of Least Concern}

Posted byenthusiasticallydawnPosted inWriting Life
Photo Credit
The Gelada is a kind of Baboon which I feel a bit of kinship toward today. Now don’t go ape on me, it’s not like I believe that I am derived from monkeys, baboons or even from a small bang. Just sometimes when a bad moment comes along on a good day, I forget that I am susceptible to my own weaknesses, emotions, and frailties. I am busy planning, and pressing on when suddenly I feel as confused and out of place as an Ethiopian Baboon would if she wound up behind the wheel of a car in Narragansett, Rhode Island in Beach traffic on Labor Day Weekend. Yeah. Let’s ponder that for a moment.
I wonder if the beach goers would be more confused than the Gelada anyway.
Well that is not even my point.
My point is the Gelada is on the IUCN’s  (The International Union for Conservation of Nature) list as a species that is what they define as a of “Least Concern”. 
Which basically means that in the spectrum of things their numbers have been confirmed and they are not endangered or in danger of becoming extinct at this time.
You are wondering where I’m going with this aren’t you?  
Well just look at that face.
I sometimes feel like I am on the list of Least Concern to those I love.
Perhaps they feel the same way about me. 
I mean we take so much for granted on a daily basis.
We don’t even realize we are running on empty until we find ourselves 
standing midway through some kind of confrontational explosion.
Suddenly we are feeling the fragility of all.

The relationships we hold dear become as shards of broken glass in our hands.
Cutting, cut, beauty all smashed on the floor.

How do you fix a broken glass?
How do you put together the broken
and restore hope
in places that seemed to be of least concern, 
when suddenly
the thing that’s of least concern becomes endangered.
Near Threatened.
Vulnerable. 
Every precious relationship we have, friends could be targeted,
 threatened or endangered.
Now or in the future.
The only way to guard against the hopelessness that breeds in the
 darkness is by continual 
exposure to light. 
Truth.
His Word is Truth.
His Spirit never leaves us.
Remember.
You are on His List.
The List of the loved,
His precious Redeemed.
When you feel hopeless.
Know this,
He is the Maker of the Sweet Baboon and you too…
He is the restorer of the broken.
His Love endures forever and where He is 
there is Hope even in the most hopeless of moments.
He is continuously concerned with each of us.
Even those of His who seem to be of least concern
to one another.

Even when we feel as hopeless as an Ethiopian Baboon.
Chew on that…

Psalm 121

 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
 My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.
 He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
 indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.
 The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
 the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.
 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.

Linking with Jen, Shanda, Kathy &Jennifer!

Photobucket

Published by enthusiasticallydawn

Dawn Paoletta is the author of Journaling for Discovery and Delight. Her writing is included in several anthologies and her poems have been included in the Wickford Poetry and Art Exhibit and Books. Dawn is currently working on her next book. Inquiries at dawn.paoletta@gmail.com

12 thoughts on “When I Feel As Hopeless As An Ethiopian Baboon (the threat of Least Concern}”

  4. What a beautiful post! I'm so excited to “meet” you! and excited to join you for your journal post link up on the 7th. Timing couldn't be better! He has a way of timing things so perfectly- and it just plain makes me smile. Yay God!Blessings to you!xoxoAndee

    Like

Comments are closed.

%d bloggers like this: