Opposable Thumbs.

Tonight I was explaining to AA how that Grandaddy had had open heart surgery today...I told him about how they opened his chest cavity; I told him about how used a part of a cow's heart to replace Grandaddy's valve.

"OOH!" he interrupted,"will he still have an opposable thumb?"

"'cause cows don't have an opposable thumb and if he has a cow's heart will he still have an opposable thumb?"

It was a good question. And one which I totally deserve.

I have simplified the "missing-link" down to the fact that the biggest factor separating humans from apes is the opposable thumb.

What is an opposable thumb, you might ask?

My understanding is that we humans are the only animals with the ability to reach across our palms with our thumbs - at least our thumbs can reach farther than other animals with thumbs. This gives us the ability to efficiently utilize tools and to reason and therefore is the seat of our authority. This opposable thumb is - in my thinking - the symbol of our authority on the earth.

Now before proceeding with my explanation - I should point out that I am strictly a "Creationist"... I do not believe that we -by chance -evolved from other life forms. I do believe people can evolve spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually but that is an inner evolution and has more to do with the effect of the Creator than the survival of the fittest.

Anyway, I have often pictured mischevious people in the ape exhibit at some zoo - taunting and teasing the baboons by gesturing with their thumbs moving back and forth across their palms.

"Hey Mighty-Joe... can you do this? Oh you can't?! I guess that's why I'm out here and you are in there! Look at this, Joe [still gesturing wildly] 'you know what this means? I can R-E-A-S-O-N... Can you Re-e-e-eason, Joe?"

I think I have shared that illustration with my kids a time or two.

It's also why AA once remarked something to the effect that he would hate to be a dog because he wouldn't have an opposable thumb and couldn't go to heaven.