This year my oldest granddaughter gave birth to the first,
of the fourth generation in my family. I have yet to hold Emily because we are
separated by nearly 2000 miles. But next week I am going there and I can’t wait
to meet her. Her mom and dad have sent so many pictures and I feel like I
already know so much about her.
What is there about a baby that just buoys every ones
spirits? No other creature on earth can make you feel so humble, so mellow, and
so caring. Only a baby can make you act like a goofball making funny faces and
crawling around on the floor with them. Babies have a way of making a family,
from a relationship that was once just two loving adults. “I saw a quote once from a new mother who said, “I never knew how much
I loved your daddy, until I saw how much he loved you.” I have only seen
pictures of Emily, that maybe involved minutes of my time but I already have so
many ways to love her.
I remember so well when our first-born came along and one
thing that was so new to me was to see my wife basking in her new found
motherhood. A side of my wife that I had not seen until then. I call it
motherly instinct but call it what you may, it is a bond that is unequaled in
this world and now I will get to see it in my granddaughter. It is a built in
love in moms and dads that passes all human understanding. There is an
emotional side of all of this for me. Because I am going to see in Emily’s mom,
something that started a long time ago in another mom who has gone on before
us-- her great Grandma. I am sure today that she too, is so proud. My wish is
that some day, Emily will lie down on a clear night and look at the stars
twinkling in the heavens above and as Rick Bragg said, “See them as holes in the floor of heaven.”
If I could talk one on one to Emily today I would say this. “On my walls are pictures of all of my
grandchildren Emily. Yes, I knew all of them when they were like you. Brand new
and just entering into this world. I saw them grow up and be the young adults
they are today. Your Mom was one of them but I can tell you the moment you were
born, she was changed forever. For you see, you are her first-born and that
brings love by a whole different name to all parents. Children have a way of
doing that to you. My biggest worry about my grandchildren growing up was that
they would succumb to some of the temptations, this world today can give you
that steers you in the wrong direction. But they didn’t and my worries were
unfounded. Their mom’s and dads like yours will too, showed the whole world and
I, how to create goodness. I won’t be around for much of your life Emily but I
ask you to make us all proud as your parents did for us. God bless you on this
journey little one.”
Each day there is born into this world many babies. I think
what I wrote above goes for all of the mom’s and dads and grandparents of the
world. That was our hope, was it not? To be a part of something that will live
on long after we are gone. Emily is for me the start of something good. Babies--
what a wonderful way to start out as human beings
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