I've seen lives end. I've seen last breaths taken. I've watched the heart stop pumping, and the life run out of a person like water draining from a tub. Skin that was once plump and full of color slowing fades from a reddish tint to a greenish tint, then more like a yellow. Skin is weird. Have you ever just looked at yours and wonder what the heck is going on there? You are held together by lots of scientific explanations. I've recently been lucky enough to catch some AWESOME episodes of NOVA. I'm a closet nerd, don't tell anyone... they were what made watching the Big Bang Theory more exciting. I finally understand some of their nerd sarcasm about String Theory, and Parallel Universes.
But I'd like to know how life begins. To see it end is amazing, but it's full of sadness. That life is now over. I'd like to see one starting. Obviously that's done in secret. In the dark cavern of a women's womb. So here's a science lesson from me to you! Well, me and Livestrong. When I asked Google where babies come from they showed me Livestrong. Haha. So there's one for the kiddos! But anywho.
Us human beings have a crazy, hectic start! Scientifically speaking you and I began our journey as what's called a Zygote. But even to get to that point there's still a journey to take! First off, it takes a male sperm and a woman's egg meeting together for a drink. Teehee.. I'm trying to be serious, stay with me, there's just so much humor to be found! I can't help it.
Yes. We all know that women carry the egg, but did you know that weeks before pregnancy the body is already preparing for it? Creation is AMAZING when you actually put thought into it. It's almost like we are amazing too. I don't think us humans give ourselves any justice to what we really are. Who we are today was started before we even started. That lovely lady you call mom had a specific amount of eggs in her body when she was born. They became active when she started her journey of becoming a woman. Each month a new one would become available for rent. Until that magical day when dear old dad came along and helped fertilize that egg.
Ewwwww, that's so gross!! Oh, grow up will ya! It happened. Your parents were part of your creation and we all know the stork is just a myth made up by people who shy away from reality.
The truth is so much better!! You were created from things that existed before you! Just think! Your mom had an egg in her body (that she was BORN with) that one day would become you! And without your dad's DNA you wouldn't be you. It took her DNA and his DNA to become your DNA, and at the same time everyone's is specifically unique to themself. All DNA is unique to it's carrier. Isn't that amazing? I think so.
So back to the journey:
In order for a zygote to form a woman's body must release an egg prior to intercourse. As soon as sperm penetrates the egg, the cell division begins, forming the zygote. Although the zygote is nothing more than a cluster of cells, it contains vital information, including the genetic details (DNA) of a child, explains the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMM). Half of the zygote's information comes from the mother's
egg and the other half is from the father's sperm. For the next several days of it comes into existence the zygote will make its way down the fallopian tube. While traveling, the zygote cell divides rapidly until the ball of cells increases in size.http://www.livestrong.com/article/94188-embryo-stages-during-first-month/#ixzz2BCUB0ctJ
Cool, right? From there we go from an alien type sounding name to something that sounds like a nasty disease.. a Blastocyst
"The rapid cell division the zygote undergoes turns it into a group of cells surrounded by an outer shell, called a blastocyst. The inner cells will soon become the embryo, surrounded by a protective membrane that will provide nourishment to the embryo and soon the fetus during the pregnancy. By about day five, the blastocyst reaches the woman's uterus (womb) and becomes attached to the lining on day six. This is called implantation. It can result in some mild to moderate cramping and a little spotting of blood. The lining of the womb will provide nourishment via the mother's bloodstream, explains the UMM. Between the 10th and 12th day after conception several layers of membranes (called amnion) begin developing and will later form the amniotic sac. This sac will eventually fill with fluid and surround the embryo until delivery."
http://www.livestrong.com/article/94188-embryo-stages-during-first-month/#ixzz2BCTmhos7
And finally we are the name that means the beginning or rudimentary stage of anything: Embryo.
"Cell division continues in the blastocyst. The cluster of cells is now called an embryo. New, specific cells are being formed now that serve a purpose, such as blood cells and nerve cells. Some of the baby's physical features will form and most of the organs will form now that the cells have become an embryo. Much of this organ development begins around the third week after fertilization. The embryo begins elongating taking on more human-like shape during this week. By about day 16 or 17 the brain and spinal cord areas will form. Before the first month has even ended, the heart may begin pumping fluid through the blood vessels."
http://www.livestrong.com/article/94188-embryo-stages-during-first-month/#ixzz2BCUB0ctJ
And the time range of all this? One month. Including two weeks prior to the pregnancy even takes place. It seems to me that life has no real start. On the contrary it can be compared to a lit flame lighting other flames. Life comes from life. So, I'm willing to go a step further to say life has no beginning from our perspective.
You and I are the product of the continuation of life. One flame lighting another. Sound crazy? Maybe. Maybe not. You'll just have to let that saturate a little bit, I'm feeling a need for a break.. and it's looking to be concluded...
Smiling. Just Smiling.
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