The Wonders of Life…

Do you have any idea what happens to a 100,000 eggs of an Irish lobster?

Last week I was catching up with a middle school classmate. Yes, that’s right I haven’t spoken to Deirdre Kato in 40 years. It didn’t take us long to reconnect. Deirdre is an OBGYN doctor taking a little much needed and deserved break basking in the beauty of her mother’s homeland country of Ireland.

Her vocation of delivering babies was no surprise to me. I teased her with my memory of Physical Education square dancing classes. I remembered holding Deirdre’s hand and being struck by how large and strong it was. We laughed as she admitted to having “manly hands.” These are hands that bring precious life into the world with an attitude of respect, reverence, and heart felt stewardship.

When she’s not delivering babies you’ll likely find Deirdre traveling and taking beautiful, soulful pictures. I’ve quietly admired her photos on Facebook for years.

With the Disciplesontherun.com Photo/Story section I was eager to ask Deirdre to consider sharing some pictures and stories with us. I offered to write up a few of her stories. She graciously accepted the offer.

There’s something sacred in Deirdre’s photos. With no pretension she explained, “It’s about being present and engaged with the gift of the moment. Composition plays an important role. It ensures that a moment can be shared in way that invites others to enter into my experiences. There’s a combination of art and science that goes into it.” Deirdre added that photography has been a wonderful way during her time away to vicariously share Ireland with her 86 year old mother.

Although technique and powers of observation are central to Deirdre’s approach to photography, she was quick to highlight the art of her craft. It strikes me that Deirdre shows up with her heart, and with intention. These are intangible gifts of the Spirit. One of her recent short videos gave us a wonderful metaphor to explore this theme.

While Deirdre’s been staying in her mother’s cottage in Ireland, she frequently opens windows to get cross ventilation. One morning Deirdre heard a little bird trapped in the house. She found the bird and took the tiny, vulnerable, scared fella in her strong hands that bring God’s creations into the world, and held it in a gentle but firm way. The bird became calm and opened its eyes in Deirdre’s hand. She was able to capture this precious moment.

If her grip had been too strong the bird would have been nervous and thrashed about. If her grip had been too light the bird would have flown away. Deirdre created a space of heart to give this bird a moment of peace and security.

I feel it’s this intangible manifestation of our intentions and Graced poise of spirit that gives rise to the possibility for the eye of the beholder to encounter beauty. We don’t need to be in competition or control of our environment. Let emergence titillate our attention and have its way by fusing our heart’s openness and awareness to coincide with the moment. In the process we are given an opportunity to encounter the Sacred.

“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.”
Mark 9:37

We didn’t spend too much time talking about photography. Deirdre’s attitudes about photography and how she sees her role as a steward of bringing life into the world are very similar.

Welcoming life from the womb of a mother into the world is an amazing vocation. With all her years of practicing medicine, this has never become emotionally or spiritually routine to Deirdre. Her unflappable devotion gave rise to a few more laughs. Deirdre confessed that maybe on one occasion or more she became disappointed with uncaring nurses, and even patients who failed to be grateful and appreciate the amazing gift of life and childbirth.

Deirdre started sharing about her volunteer work with Lebanese-Syrian refuges. She recounted one story of a young woman with her mother eager to go home right after her child’s birth. Deirdre was taken by the young woman’s total trust and faith that everything would be okay. She felt the incredible and instantaneous outpouring of love from the new mother for her baby. The mother was not fazed by all of the unknowns and her poverty.

Deirdre mused about how this was a striking difference to some of the mothers she has encountered in modern hospitals with all the bells and whistle of technology. She has experienced mothers possessed with debilitating trepidation; insisting with the hospital staff to stay longer because they’re not ready to go home.

Never one to dwell on the negative, Deirdre was quick to remember an Ethiopian woman who endured the aches and pains of carrying her triplets to full term without a single complaint!

Deirdre has experienced frustrations and disappointments working in a medical system that many times in its efforts to balance lots of goals, fails in its primary healing mission. For someone passionate about her work, these are heavy hits to the heart and spirit especially, when it results in the unnecessary loss of life. This is a tragedy Deirdre has had to face.

That’s never stopped Deirdre from going boldly into settings many would find at least very uncomfortable if not dangerous. I’m guessing this is one of the ways Deirdre uses her God given gifts to make sure she brings some light and hope into the world.

During her trip to Pakistan with the Islamic Medical Association of North America she was touched by the gentle grateful people she encountered. Women thought nothing about walking 2-3 hours to receive care.

Are you still wondering about what happens to 100,000 Irish lobster eggs?

Seven years later 2… that’s right seven years later: only 2 lobsters survive. May we never forget that life is a miracle.

The Irish fisherman Deirdre was shadowing put a notch in the females tails (it doesn’t hurt them) to make sure these females are always thrown back into the water. Respect for the precious gift of life. AMEN

PS: Deirdre has promised to share soon more pictures and stories with us!

Have Deirdre’s pictures and stories brought back any special memories for you? Please consider sharing your pictures and stories with us!

Do you have any idea what happens to a 100,000 eggs of an Irish lobster?

When she’s not delivering babies you’ll likely find Deirdre traveling and taking beautiful, soulful pictures. I’ve quietly admired her photos on Facebook for years.

With the Disciplesontherun.com Photo/Story section I was eager to ask Deirdre to consider sharing some pictures and stories with us. I offered to write up a few of her stories. She graciously accepted the offer.

If her grip had been too strong the bird would have been nervous and thrashed about. If her grip had been too light the bird would have flown away. Deirdre created a space of heart to give this bird a moment of peace and security.

“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.” Mark 9:37

We didn’t spend too much time talking about photography. Deirdre’s attitudes about photography and how she sees her role as a steward of bringing life into the world are very similar.

Never one to dwell on the negative, Deirdre was quick to remember an Ethiopian woman who endured the aches and pains of carrying her triplets to full term without a single complaint!

That’s never stopped Deirdre from going boldly into settings many would find at least very uncomfortable if not dangerous. I’m guessing this is one of the ways Deirdre uses her God given gifts to make sure she brings some light and hope into the world.

During her trip to Pakistan with the Islamic Medical Association of North America she was touched by the gentle grateful people she encountered. Women thought nothing about walking 2-3 hours to receive care.

Are you still wondering about what happens to 100,000 Irish lobster eggs?

Seven years later 2… that’s right seven years later: only 2 lobsters survive. May we never forget that life is a miracle.

The Irish fisherman Deirdre was shadowing put a notch in the females tails (it doesn’t hurt them) to make sure these females are always thrown back into the water. Respect for the precious gift of life. AMEN

PS: Deirdre has promised to share soon more pictures and stories with us!

Have Deirdre’s pictures and stories brought back any special memories for you? Please consider sharing your pictures and stories with us!

“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.”
Mark 9:37