Floating Ribs

So today in my ortho class, my teacher was explaining the role of what we call the "floating ribs". The bottom two pairs of ribs, instead of being attached to each other with cartilage like all the other ribs, are only connected at their base to the vertebrae. So for all intensive purposes, they are alone. They just kind of sit there. They don't exactly serve a purpose, they don't even expand like the other ribs do to allow more air to flow into the lungs. The other ribs, or "true" ribs, work together to expand with each breath (with the help of muscles) in order to allow the lungs to fill with air. Without this movement of the ribs, breathing could not occur.

As I'm sitting there in class listening to my teacher explain the characteristics of the floating ribs, I suddenly say out loud, "Oh my gosh, this is totally a metaphor for my life!" The whole class chuckled, as they are totally used to my random comments by now. Then my teacher just said simply, "I'm not gonna lie, that's pretty sad." Then I had to laugh at myself because I realized how ridiculous I was sounding.

Basically my point is, I've nearly always been alone. The longest I've dated someone is less than three months. And by now I'm so used to being single, that having all this alone time to do whatever the heck I want doesn't bother me. Like the floating ribs, I am not attached to anyone. I can come and go as I please without anyone having to move along with me. It's just me, myself, and I. Which can get lonely at times, but that's what family, friends, and amazing roommates are for! Who said a girl had to be in a relationship to be happy?  

HOWEVER, someday in the future I hope to become one of the true ribs. I want to be attached to somebody, to move with them as one, to breathe as one, if you will. A true partnership. And it may not be in the next six months, or the next year, or next 5 years, but I know it will happen eventually. All I can do in the meantime is to be the best person I can possibly be, which takes A TON of work because as we all know, none of us are perfect.

The other characteristic of the floating ribs that I related with was the fact that they seem to serve no purpose. They don't expand like the other ribs do. If you look at them on just a model of a skeleton, they seem to hang there with no apparent reason from the lower thoracic vertebrae. But if you were to look at a diagram that includes the ribs and the vital organs, you would see the purpose of these lower ribs. They protect the vital organs against outside forces or trauma. They may not be as sturdy or as strong as the upper ribs, but they do their part to keep the inside of the body safe.

As I look at my life today, I think, what is my purpose? What was I sent here on this Earth to do? At first, when I thought about this today and even now as I write this, it is hard for me to name my specific purpose. Probably because I don't have some big, grand, purpose in this world. I'm probably not going to change the world for all mankind. But can I change the world of one person? Can one simple act of kindness or service make the difference between a crappy day and a good day for someone? I have talents, I can sing and play the violin well enough to get along. Who can I make happy with these talents? Will I hide these talents under a bushel, like the scriptures say, or will I share them with those around me to brighten their day? I know i am meant to be a mother in Zion, as I have been promised. I have also been promised many happy days. Am I doing my part to make sure others around me have happy days as well? I have a knack for making people laugh, and as I used to say in high school, "I am only here for your entertainment." It seems like a joyous way to live life to me!

At first glance, it may be hard to find a purpose in my life. But I just have to take another look from a different perspective. Having a purpose doesn't necessarily have to be some extensive, grand event in my life.  I'm not going to cure cancer. I'm not going to solve world hunger. I'll never be famous. I cannot stop wars. But what I can do is try to make the people around me feel like I care, that they can come to me with their concerns and problems, and overall just make their lives a teeny bit easier. I'm not a miracle worker, but I'm sure even the little things matter, the little things that happen day-to-day, small acts of service, that can change someone's life for the better.

Now, that's not to say that I have it all figured out. Far from it, actually. But every day I am a little bit closer.

And as it turns out, I am nothing like the floating ribs.