Saw a Man Carrying a Baby and Almost Cried
Dave and I try to walk twice a day and today’s morning walk took us through the IBC church parking lot, as it often does. It’s interesting to see who is about at the different times of day we walk.
And today we saw a man carrying his very young child from his car to the buildings. She was limp against his chest and shoulder, fast asleep.
“Looks like you have a sleepy one,” I said to the father. Immediately his face lit up. You could see he loved his little girl and being noticed carrying her. His was the face of love and pride. He said something in return, and the moment passed as we went on.
I remember how that felt, holding my child while he slept on me, light at first and heavier as time went by. But never too heavy, not my baby. Not a care in the world, he could relax to the point of limpness and sleep. It was such a cherished experience. Such incredible peace.
I thought about the many times when my sons were little and I held them in that same position. Their posture was limp, yes, but also fully trusting that they were safe. The world slowed way down as I would let myself be fully in the moment holding my child.
There were times when I was sitting in my chair and the boys were playing in the room. Once in a while, one or the other would come up and put his little hand on my knee, touching base. It was so sweet. Soon he would be off to play again, having recharged his heart. He certainly charged mine.
We don’t have any babies in our family at this time. Our youngest grandchild is 17 and 6’3”. He’s not climbing into my lap! But there are different moments to cherish now. The unexpected phone call when one of them wants to check on me or has some late breaking news. That’s different, but still worth cherishing.
And now? I just want to hold a baby.