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I was really tired, bone tired. I was in the maternity ward waiting room at a world famous hospital far from home in the middle of the night at 2 am. I was trying to rest and laid across several seats, using my purse as a hard, but sufficient pillow. Across the room sat my in-laws. They were trying to make pleasant conversation, but I was reaching the bottom of my energy barrel and had to make a move or fall into an uncomfortable sleep across the hard chairs. My first grandchild was on the way and I wanted to be there for the great event, but it looked like I wasn’t going to make it. Work, commuting and other life stuff had used up most of my energy reserves for the week already and I was running mostly on sheer will and the desire to see the birth of my grandchild.

I hiked over one last time to my daughter’s room. Her labor was slow and precarious. This was the third day and we were all worried. I felt that she was in good hands with a medical team that was well known all over the world for delivering babies safely.

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She was still awake and had not had a good sleep for the past 72 hours. Her husband, part man-part angel, was by her side. He only left to use the bathroom or other necessary human tidying up. Otherwise he didn’t leave her side once. He held her, massaged her, dressed her, bathed her and took her phone calls. He talked to her and kept the ambiance positive with unwavering faith that she and the baby would make it safely and they would have the family they had always dreamed of. I felt like crying everytime I saw them. I was helpless to make a significant human difference in the situation, the only thing I could do was pray and have faith that it would turn out ok.

They told me it was ok to go home. The plan was that I would stay with them for a week after, to help them adjust and help with caring for their new son. So, I went home and then the call came about four hours later that he was here and she was fine. My new grandson was healthy, with high Apgars and my daughter was relieved and new mom euphoric. She was now a mom. I wish I could have witnessed it, but thoughts of going to meet him and see him took over. I was excited to head back over to the hospital.

Returning to the hospital I was caught up in introspection. A birth is an everyday miracle. It happens four times every second. Few take it for granted. It’s the most beautiful thing that can happen to a human being or to be witnessed. To see new life emerge. Brought about by a spark of divine energy. Life is everything. Basically, it’s all we’ve actually got. Without life, nothing else could exist and things would have no meaning. We humans seem to need things. Sometimes lots of things, to make us appreciate ourselves and our time here on Earth. Many people of the world live in poverty and they don’t have things. They live without the material stuff and still manage to love life, their family and make everyday count. Faced with starvation and exposure to the elements on a daily basis, they reach deep within for strength and meaning. This is the deep human instinct to live.

I saw a great show on television, that showed cultures from around the glove. One family literally had no home. Just some wood posts and fabric. But they experienced joy everyday as evidenced by their smiles that lit up when a family member was there or approached. I thought that this was the gift that we received everyday that was priceless and better than anything else. Life and love.

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I arrived at the hospital and there was my daughter, son-in-law and my new grandson settled in nicely to post delivery mode. My daughter looked exhausted but elated and was skin to skin with her son. My son-in-law was full of joy and stood by protecting his brood. It was a gorgeous sight. I felt myself getting weepy again and then the tears just came anyway, even though I struggled hard and painfully to keep my emotions in check. They wrapped the baby carefully and placed him in my arms. He smelled fresh and of life springing from something primordially. He was calm and perfect to me.

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A new generation was here to carry on and bring goodness to the world.

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