The Glob

By John O’Reilly

Pictures by Walt Kelly

Copyright 1952

My favorite used book sale of the year, sponsored by the AAUW, was last weekend.  I walked away with this awesome stack of books.  I did get questioned a bit by my family as far as where this stack would go since there is supposedly no more room on my shelves.  That’s a problem I’ll tackle later.  I can either weed my collection a bit, or find room for more shelves!  

I read a couple of the books right away on the ride from Downers Grove to Champaign.  The Glob was a quick and interesting read with wonderful illustrations.  It is a children’s book about the concept of evolution.  The story begins with the Glob sadly floating to and fro in the sea.  He was sad because he had no feet and no way of getting to shore.  But oh, how he longed to romp on the shore.  For a million years, that Glob tried and tried to do something about it.  Eventually, he arranged his form to have some wobbly legs and feet and practiced and exercised until he was finally able to walk on land!  The story continues with the Glob aiming for and reaching new milestones.  Over many eons, he grew toes, arms and fingers, made a shelter and tools, used a leopard skin for warmth, discovered fire, and eventually met up with a tribe of more creatures like him.   Whenever the Glob noticed something he either wanted to do very much or had to do to live, he tries and tries until it finally happens.  If he didn’t – how could he survive? 

This loosely describes the concept of the evolution of man.  Yet doesn’t it also describe the evolution – the growth – of each individual man?  We see something we want or need, but don’t have the resources to attain it.  We either give up, or, like the Glob, we try and try until we reach our goal.  Growth must be constant if we are to successfully adapt to the situations we are in.  Hopefully our own evolution is faster than the Glob’s!