Last night, after I had posted my blog “Thanksgiving Blessings” and had gone to bed, I suddenly realized that I had failed to mention my most recent blessing—the birth of a great-grandchild. As I pondered this omission I realized that though I have seen baby Noah, it was only when he was still in the hospital incubator. I could not hold him or snuggle him or kiss him. He was tiny and frail and somnolent. So though I have followed his progress with great interest by reading the blog posted by his parents, he is still not quite real to me.
All that will change on December 18 when we come together as a family and I will conduct a ritual welcoming Noah into our family circle. We will talk about our new roles in relationship to him—as grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and in my case as great-grandmother. We will offer advice and support to his parents, Carolyn and Raven; we will express our fondest wishes for this child as he grows up, and then each of us will give our personal blessings to him and his parents.
On that day, in addition to the ceremony, I will finally get to hold Noah, to snuggle him, to press him against my chest, and to lovingly kiss him. On that day he will become real to me, and I can truly say that he is one of the greatest blessings of my old age.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment