Posts Tagged ‘Presence’

Grandma’s 93^rd birthday was last week but she is no longer alive on Earth so she missed it. 

Grandma Jean departed in March.    Although resistant for many years, in the end she understood that there was something more waiting. She knew it was her time and so she left us in peace.  It was a final gift from a generous and loving woman to those of us that would mourn her passing.  Instead we are left to wonder and muse upon what she might be doing now, to cherish her life lessons (primarily taught by example) and to always know her pride in us.

Grandma never met Jasper.  At least we don’t think so.  In any case, we didn’t witness their encounter if in fact there was one.  Jasper was born on June 14^th, the first child of my sister, so he is now 18 days old, having breathed his first breath less than three months after Grandma breathed her last.   

As it’s been years since I’ve spent time with a newborn, I’d forgotten how enthralling it is just to stare at the darling little face of burgeoning awareness, his instinctive cries for survival, his utter dependence on his loving caregivers, and, of course, his impact on everyone he touches. How does such a tiny little creature completely transform the nature of life to his new family?  One can only stand by in awe when confronted with the reality of how fast we can fall desperately in love, how immediately our own life can become secondary to another.

2010 is a landmark year for our family to have witnessed the wonder of both life and death in such an intimate manner.  

Both Grandma and Jasper have shown me that everything in the universe we need is available right now.  In this exact moment of time, everything is as it should be.   This is something that I will have to remind myself of every day.

Goodbye Grandma, you were an inspiration. I would love to know what you are up to now but I imagine I will find out soon enough..

And Jasper, welcome to our planet!  What a joy it will be to watch you grow…

Au revoir Grandma

A brand new life