A Week of Joy and Sadness

I haven’t had the chance to do much writing this week. It has been a week of immense joy and sadness -- peaks that I had only ever dreamed of, and depths that I never wanted to see.

We welcomed a new life into the world, and farewelled another.

The one we farewelled was not completely unexpected, though it was sudden. A matter of days from the first time they looked a little off colour to no longer being with us. They had a very good innings, making it well into their nineties, and living independently right up until the very end.

She has been waiting for you for just over a decade. Go. Be with her. Leave behind the disease that took her, and the age that took you. Join your child and grandchild that went ahead of you both. We will mourn your loss and will reflect on the many joys that you brought into the world.

We will never forget you.

We love you.

Goodbye.

The little one we welcomed had been expected, but the date of arrival was not exactly known. I don’t know that I could have written a delivery like this one, where the active painful part of labour was over within a matter of minutes and baby was given to mum for a few hours to bond and nurse before being weighed and measured (and all that other stuff). Even more surprising was the shift in handling of newborns over the last dozen years or so. Gone was the whisking away at high speed of the little pink and purple goo-covered monster before handing over a cleaned, pink mini-human. Instead, the newborn was wiped semi-clean and passed up to mum straight away, even before the cord was cut. It was so quick that the first breath (and corresponding cry) happened while lying up on mum’s chest. The cord was clamped and cut, and that was it -- there was no further medical interaction with the newborn for a few hours.

Once the weighing, measuring, and first couple of injections had eventually taken place, it was off with mum back to her room. No side visits to the nursery. No washing clean (that’s a mum and dad job when they’re ready -- first bath and all that good stuff).

We have been waiting for you for over a decade. Your loving parents and older siblings have longed to have you join us and welcome you into this world -- it is yours for the taking. Your little cries, quiet as they are, are enough to melt the hardest man and make willing slaves of us all.

Though only a matter of hours old, you carry over three centuries of known history in your names -- carry your ancient family names boldly into this modern world. Let them serve you well, and you will wear them with honour. Centuries of family tradition have been reignited with your birth and, through you, they will carry on for centuries more.

We love you.

Welcome.