Story of the umbilicus aka Umbi

Who has paid much attention to this eternal friend of the humans? Umbi, we lovingly call him in our family, reflects our internal life stages quite faithfully.

Consider how he looks when a baby is just born. The little one is full of wonder at the world that greets it. It cries and laughs and eats and gets to explore everything around. Umbi is quite like eyes popping out of their socket at this time. Full of energy. Wanting to see and take in all the eyes can...

The child begins to grow and the sense of wonder imperceptibly becomes an acceptance of the world. It just is. Umbi begins to recede. He still peeps from within its socket. It is open but well encased. Now Umbi is alert but not necessarily gaping in fascination.

Then... further growth and further receession. Now the adolescent and preteen is more full of what they are and what they want to be or do rather than be interested in the world.Now Umbi is just about visible. Not really caring about anything and least bit interested in anything except itself. If you still look for him, you will find him there but he is not looking.

Adulthood sets in. Life takes over. Belly fat tries and often defeats belly button. Umbi is now safely burried but his socket still is toned and youthful. The smile begins to straighten and the crease begins to get defined... Life is no longer fun or funny. Care begins to take over.

Soon, the socket is completely taken over. Umbi has now to be carefully searched for. If you pull apart the two lips of the nonsmiling crease, behaving like a door that has a rather good closer, you will be able to find Umbi.

And then... Umbi begins to lose the battle of the Bulge. The crease becomes an inverted 'C', sad, sad Umbi. Care and daily grind make sure Umbi feels similarly.

Sometimes, in ill-health, Umbi peeps out or pops out to protest. Lo! You have an Umbilical Hernia. It seeks attention. It needs attention. Catch me now... or else...
If we are still mindless of the plight we ( and Umbi) are facing... We land up under the surgeon's knife on the surgeon's table!!!

Whoops!

WOW!!

Whoa!!!

Love you, Umbi!