Homo Erectus

     Those of us who are witness to the development of the human specie are fortunate when we have the opportunity to observe a youngster emerging into homo erectus.  Our great-grandson crawled around the floor for months in his efforts to reach an objective, whether it was to pull down an object or to examine something that caught his eye. We tried to teach him to walk, but his faltering steps failed unless we were there to prop him up into an erect position.  He would hold on to a nearby post or chair and attempt to reach another goal with little success.

 

     His efforts to walk gradually improved until one day he was able to make a brief voyage on his own.  His eyes lit up as he suddenly realized that he could do it. His joy was unmatched as he toddled from one place to another.  He was free!!! At that moment his new life began as a member of homo erectus.  From faltering steps he learned to walk and then to run with a fierce passion that evoked applause from all adults. We had witnessed the transformation of a crawling infant into a vibrant, erect person. I believe that time of his life was the defining moment.

 

     As adults, we walk with little thought about the early trials and falls we experienced when we were infants. Walking is a natural part of the learning process. It gets us from one place to another and allows us to take part in the events that shape our lives for generations. In later years it seems like a small victory but it is abig one at that moment when it happens, and I will never forget the joy in our little boy's eyes when he walked for the first time.