I am writing this on a Sunday afternoon. The weather is cold and the rain is falling; the day is dreary but only on the outside. Why so? Well I have something interesting to write about and plenty of time to do it. I have ‘caught up’ with my usual chores and the free time is available. And my subject?
A new baby boy has arrived in the extended family, and his grandmother has brought him over for a visit and has given me a photograph of him which has been placed in direct sight below my computer screen. He is half way smiling, staring directly at me in a most innocent way. Posed sitting up and dressed in his red Christmas outfit adorned with a small reindeer patch and random snowflakes, he is wearing a gold colored cap made to resemble the head of a reindeer with antlers which means that the only part of him that shows in the picture is his face and relaxed hands. The background of the picture is a lime green fabric with large white dots. He seems happy which makes me happy. Why?
It makes me happy to see new life, a life with unknown promise, a life like a blank canvas waiting to be completed with the ‘colors’ or challenging experiences he will surely encounter during his potentially long life. Knowing his family, he will be accorded many advantages, love being paramount. He is joining a family, educated and successful, while unknown to him presently, has already given him a head start in life. He joins a family blessed with both a mother and father along with grandparents whose lives will be directed to giving him opportunities unknown and unavailable to many others. Call him blessed.
A child is the ultimate gift and unmatched miracle. Here he is, a brief journey from conception, perfectly formed with all the parts working flawlessly. Perfect is the key word: hearing, eyesight, body functions, hair, taste, muscles, indeed an incomparable creation, unique in every way.
Envy is said to be one of the cardinal sins, but when I look at this new born, I confess that envy does enter into my mind. Think of the joy, the happiness he will experience and in fact will bring to his family and others during his long life. It is said that life itself is an adventure, assuredly so, which means that the future for him will be the envy of those whose lives are nearing an end. At least down here.
So little one, welcome to my (b. 1928) world; it’s now yours. Let’s hope you do a better job with it than some of us.
“A sweet, new blossom of Humanity,
Fresh fallen from God’s own home to flower
On earth.”
—Gerald Massey
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Bill Lee, PO Box 128,
Hamer, SC 29547
