Miracles

This weekend I had the opportunity to view the BodyWorld exhibit. The exhibit features real bodies and parts of bodies that have been plasticized using some sort of preservation method. I wasn't sure if I would be up to this kind of thing, but I was amazed by the things that I saw. First of all, this is unlike anything I have ever seen in a textbook or regular museum model. I saw bascially every body part- real ones- laid out in front of me with descriptions of how they work and what they do. There were examples of artifical knees and hips, the lungs of a smoker, the liver of an alcoholic, and hardened arteries. There was a woman with an 8 month old fetus...I was amazed. I was amazed at how small the kidneys really are and at how large the aorta really is. I saw the vertebrae- the ones like mine that have died- and realize how something so very, very small can impact the quality of life.

What I was left with is the sense of amazement and wonder that anyone ever lives to the age of 50. Why? I see now just how many things can go wrong and just how many systems have to work together in order for the body to function. There are so many tiny parts of us that have to work correctly in order for us to work at all.

The exhibit is something that everyone should see.

http://www.bodyworlds.com