“I wish they could stay little forever, They grow up so fast,” my friend said as she cradled her baby. I thought of another friend who was caring for a developmentally delayed child day in and day out, year in and year out. She would be grateful to see her child grow up fast. I love watching them grow, I thought. Keeping a baby little forever would be exhausting. I reached out and touched the soft curls on the baby’s head and remained silent.
My mind traveled back through time. I loved each one of my babies and had treasured them. There were moments that I would never forget.
Quiet Moment
In my home’s quiet darkness,
There is a stillness.
This moment of solitude
Belongs to me.
The TV is silent.
No voice intrudes.
Children are quietly dreaming.
We sit in silence
The two of us.
Her newborn cry having
Summoned me from slumber
To share this time.
Now. . .
Dry, satiated, and cuddled
She nestles close to my heart,
Asleep, content.
Her tiny mouth moves,
Remembering the taste of milk.
Though I will remember this moment,
Treasure this moment,
Already it has slipped into her dreaming.
She will not remember this precise moment,
But the feeling of warmth, love, and security
Will settle into her,
Become part of her core being.
This moment is mine.