Our first grandchild was born July 12 and the whole universe blinked. This is the first I’ve blogged about him. Funny, you’d think I’d want to tell the whole world, right? But his story is for his parents first to tell. In a world where nothing, it seems, is truly private anymore, there’s other stuff that needs to happen before we risk his innocence and intimacy in the cloud. I haven’t been sure what’s appropriate to say and I’m not now. I haven’t been ready to try with human words to describe something so incredible that naming it only serves to cheapen the awesome reality. Grandma and I got to hold Jackson when he was 2 days this side of his mother’s placenta. I’m pretty sure the space beneath our chin and voice box is specially formed to embrace the small baby forehead and ponder their dreams. I totally understand why the Hebrew people from ancient times and still today don’t say the name of God. My best response to the entry of this small-vulnerable-wiggly Divine thing into our world is to listen.
New Testament scholar Marcus Borg often told a particular story when talking about the inclusive, pervasive…the comprehensive incomprehensible experience some call “God.” As the story goes, a baby boy was born to a family, the second child of young parents. Soon after the birth, his 4-year-old sister became quite insistent with her mother and father that she be allowed to have some alone time with her brother Ian, right away. The parents were a little nervous about her request and kept putting her off, but she kept pestering. They finally gave in, realizing there was little risk with the baby intercom in place near the crib. At the scheduled time, the parents let her go into the nursery as they huddled around the monitor. She entered the room, closing the door behind her. They heard the slow, deliberate steps of her little feet as she walked quietly across the room to her brother’s crib. Then they heard their wise little girl ask, “Ian, could you tell me about God? I think I almost forgot.”
“ . . . The space beneath our chin and voice box is specially formed to embrace the small baby forehead . . .”
One of the most beautiful and true visuals I’ve ever read!
Thank you, John for your words!
Ahhh. Listen well my friend
John, This brings tears to my eyes.
Thank you for sharing. I am so happy that you and Debbie have a grandchild. The photo is special!
Congratulations! I got to hold, play with and change a couple of diapers on an 8 month old yesterday. Stellar beings and reminders of all the miracles we can pay attention to.
Thank you for sharing.
John, what a sweet and sad story you write about baby Jackson as you ponder the world he faces. You and Debbie will certainly have influence in his life as he listens, watches, and chooses how to participate in the world around him. Keep up the good work and enjoy baby Jackson. Valorie
Oh, John … We’re so happy for you and Debbie to have this experience. Thanks for sharing!
I am gut-level, essentially happy for you & Debbie. That’s all there’s words for. Like you say, the rest is indescribable. Couldn’t happen to a better set of new grandparents. love, Trudy
Grandparenthood is truly a time for joy! And let me know what Jackson tells you.