(mr. true, 10 weeks.)
as our little family continues a bit of maternity leave, i’ve got a couple more inspiring guest post that i’d like to share. today’s post comes from the amazing jenny doh. although we’ve never met in person (yet!), we worked together on a few projects when she was the editor-in-chief for the somerset mags and again most recently on a project for her highly anticipated book coming out next year called Art Saves (it’s going to be amazing). jenny also runs Crescendoh, a site full to the brim with inspiration and stories – a daily must read for me. like me, jenny’s previous life in social work weaves its way into her work and i’m always always so inspired by her commitment to thread together creative passion with community with compassion. as a strong leader in our community, she does it very very well.
right around the time of true’s arrival, this is what arrived in my mailbox – an amazing and oh so thoughtful handmade gift from jenny herself:
and the little details are precious, like this one:
i immediately placed it in his room with other meaningful treasures:
“Your universe will change.”
That’s what my dad said to me when I became pregnant with my first child more than 16 years ago. I heard what he had to say but didn’t really get it. Sounded pretty melodramatic to predict that my universe would change. Surely an exaggeration.
So months later, there I was, in the hospital delivery room, with the birth of my first child. A creature who I hadn’t met before but who I had created. A creature who I knew right away that I would do anything for. A creature to whom I’d give all that I was and everything that I had. A creature who made me realize that this world is bigger than me. That this world doesn’t revolve around me.
Indeed, a creature who changed my universe.
Seasons change. And I now find myself to be the one dispensing what some might consider melodramatic as I say things like “Your universe will change” and “enjoy it, because they grow up so fast.” In fact, I’ve said these things to Kelly Rae … upon first learning of her pregnancy, and now, with the expanded universe that True brings for her.
One blink, or maybe two blinks are all it will take … and True will have graduated from milk to rice cereal, and eventually the training wheels on his bike will no longer be needed, peanut butter sandwiches will be made without help from mom, showers will taken without help from anyone, algebra equations solved with occasional help from both mom and dad, and insightful essays about classic works of literature written and aced. It happens so fast.
And in between all the joys of sandwiches, showers, equations and essays, there will be great challenges to be overcome. Like teething, potty training, bullies on the playground, trips to the ER, tears of disappointment for this, that, and the other.
My dad was right. It is through parenthood that I am able to see the vastness of the universe. And incredibly, it is this vast universe that continually opens my eyes to knowing that if I want to be a person with lasting significance, I will be there for the smallest of things for my children.
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