Although new to this world, she had a mysterious "knowingness" about her. There had to be some ancient wisdom lying behind those unusual blue eyes. Sometimes, a little smile would cross her face when she slept, hinting at the old soul within who had seen it all before.
Like all new humans, she was tiny and vulnerable. I held her close, our hearts beating in rhythm. As I rocked her to sleep, I thought she had quite possibly come from the stars to light the way for those of us who might be lost.
I had so many questions. Where did you come from? What have you seen? Who will you become? What magic will you weave in this difficult world?
As I gazed at her beautiful face, I whispered,
I promise to remember how you smell, freshly plucked from your bath.
I promise to always be there for you when you need me.
I promise to console you when you are sad and hold you tight when you are afraid.
And I promise to rejoice in all your triumphs - big and small.
My heart, like a fine-tuned camera lens, captured every moment: her tiny hand clutching my finger to make sure I was still there; the way her hair glittered in the moonlight; her first tenuous steps; the swift and miraculous transformation of an infant into a toddler, a teen into a college student, a student into a scientist, and a wife into a mother. The years passed quickly, each moment an unrepeatable and irreplaceable gift; precious not because it lasts, but because it doesn’t.
The child I once held in my arms has become a loving, compassionate, and brilliant human with children of her own to love, protect, and guide.
And I?
I sing songs and tell my stories to a new generation of tiny humans I love deeply.
The time I spend with them allows me to view the beauty and mystery of life through a new lens and to better appreciate the present moment - the only moment we truly have.
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