Giraffes

Giraffes saunter easily across the grasslands. They nibble on the tops of trees without difficulty. They move around in small groups, their long necks and long legs moving in graceful coordination, their mottled skin offering camouflage among the shrubbery. They are the picture of elegance.

Almost.

Those necks and legs get in the way when a giraffe wants something on the ground, like grass or water.

In order to reach down, a giraffe has to force its front legs far apart and stretch its neck. It looks awkward, almost painful. Sometimes it takes a couple of tries before the animal gets it right. It puts the giraffe at risk from a lion or other predator. You can almost hear it saying, “Oof!” as it gets back up.

What’s true for giraffes is also true for people. Sometimes we have stretch to get something. It may be inelegant. We may feel quite awkward. But that’s what we do in order to get what we want. And then we walk away, our heads up.

Awkwardness is temporary. It’s grace we remember.