Have you ever felt “ugly”? I know I sure have, and I would venture a great many if not all people have thought it at least once or twice in their lifetime.
Well, you have no worries my friend, I have something that won the “world” ugly award to tell you about.
After a couple of “deeper” blogs, I wanted to try to find a “lighter” subject for today.
Imagine my surprise when a good friend of mine posted a picture of a “Blobfish” on her facebook feed. Repulsed yet intrigued, I had indeed found my subject.
First discovered off the coast of New Zealand in 2003, the Blobfish has even won the award for the most hideous species in an online poll in 2013 by the British-based Ugly Animal Preservation Society beating out 10 other competitors.
Blobfish swim 2,000 to 4,000 feet below the sea. Down at that level Blobfish look like ordinary fish, the pressure way down deep helps the Blobfish look normal, but when Blobfish are raised to the surface, they turn into gelatinous blobs. They have no bones, no teeth, and no muscle mass, because at the deep pressure those would be crushed.
Because they live at such depths, scientists do not know much about Blobfish. They have no idea how they reproduce, how long they live or even how many of them there are. They do know Blobfish patrol the waters of Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania.
Blobfish are very lazy, because they must conserve energy at that depth, they rarely move about off the ocean floor, content to eat whatever swims their way in terms of plankton, or sea urchins.
Blobfish gel has not caught on as an edible craze therefore the Blobfish has saved us from having to ask what the blob of the day is in restaurants. (I stole that line from Lindsay VanSomeren at Untamed Science).
That has not stopped people from coming on board for the Blobfish with poems, stuffed animals, songs, t-shirts and even a Blobfish café that opened in 2017.
For an ugly creature, it has made a definite mark on society thus far!
What can the Blobfish teach us?
1) Never compare yourself to others. Mr. Blob is content to be himself. It could be that just like the ugly ducking, you are in the wrong crowd, but in your own crowd you just might be a swan. If you hung around with Mr. Blob, perhaps they would consider you ugly because your differences would stand out in their crowd.
2) Consider this: God makes no junk – ever. Not Mr. Blobfish and certainly not you! Every creature God created has a purpose and meaning and that includes you.
3) Start appreciating yourself. Make a list of things that you have going for you. Everyone has something that they can do that no one else can. It is the way God made us. You might say, nope, not me, I have nothing. No that is not true, you have simply not discovered it yet.
4) Remember, the Blobfish have t-shirts, stuffies and poems singing their praises no matter what they look like and they never even went looking for stardom. God has your name written on His hand; He would have your picture posted on His fridge if He had one. He talks about you and knows all about you. You are so important to God because He designed you exactly like you are because that was exactly what He wanted to do. He created you wonderfully, and intricately because He loves you. Seriously it does not get better than having the creator of the entire universe tell you that He loves you just exactly the way you are! He loves you!