The Miracle of Life!

Photograph of newborn

The Miracle of Life!

Earlier this week, we welcomed our youngest grand-daughter into the world!  At 8 lbs, 9 oz, she is a healthy, precious, wonderful, little bundle of joy!  Holding her close, watching her expressions, seeing her look around, I bask in the simple joy of…what?

I don’t know how to describe the moment…words fail me.  There is just something about holding a newborn child or grandchild; something that feels so right!  So what this world is supposed to be.  All those godly instincts of love, affection, protectiveness and closeness just rise, unsolicited, to the surface.

I find myself completely fascinated with the smallest details of this little girl in my arms.  How bright her eyes are!  How aware she seems of her surroundings, for being so young!  Watch how her eyes track to follow her mother’s voice. See how she opens her mouth and turns her head searching for the comfort of her mother’s breast.

I find myself wondering how this world looks and feels from her perspective.  Such a short time ago, she was safe, snug, warm and comfortable inside her mother’s womb.  Now, she has been suddenly thrust out into a big, bright, noisy, chaotic and unfamiliar world!  The lights and sounds must be overwhelming!  The new sensation of sight must be startling!  The new sensation of hunger must be very uncomfortable.

I sympathize with my perception of her probable perception.  I too can recall being pushed unexpectedly outside my comfort zone, and I did not like it!  The world is a big scary place, full of unpredictable events beyond our control.

My mind drifts to the realization that this is just the first of many unexpected new experiences that she will face, and many of them will be uncomfortable.  None of us can live long in this world without experiencing some level of heart-break and shattered dreams.  This is a strange world we live in, and into which she has been welcomed.  It is a world where joy cohabitates with grief, where compassion is learned through heart-break, where love and faith are fully revealed only through deep sacrifice.

And yet, looking now at her precious face, I know she is not concerned about any of those things.  Yes, she has every reason to feel confused, frustrated, and angry at being so suddenly thrust into such a chaotic and uncomfortable place.  Yet, in the midst of the chaos, her focus is on learning and enjoying the sounds, sights, smells, and touch of her loving family, whom she has only just met.  She has only known her mother for three days, but already knows this is someone she can trust to love and care for her — to feed her when she’s hungry, change her when she’s dirty, and comfort her when she’s upset.

She is not longing for the past comfort of the womb, nor worried about her future.  She is simply living in the moment and relying on those who love her.  She is trusting without even knowing what trust is, or realizing that there is any other way to live.

I hope someday I can teach this little girl as much as she is teaching me, today!

 

Through what Miracle of Life has God spoken to you, recently?