On, In, and Around Mondays: Hug to Creativity
She wanted to go away. Asked me to come and watch her children.
I said yes. I rarely see my nieces and nephews.
It is good that she went away, because that meant I went too— away, to a life so different from mine.
My favorite moments were the ones with the baby. I haven't had babies for a long time. I don't particularly want the work of babies anymore.
But this.
A baby in the lap, blue eyes searching mine. A baby in the lap, playing with my mauve shawl.
"Shawl," I say to her. She pulls it open. Pushes it shut. Manages a sound something close to "sh," but not quite.
I touch her shirt. "Shirt," I say. She touches her shirt. I touch my shirt. "Shirt," I say again. She ventures another "sh."
She lifts her shirt and a white belly sticks out, baby fat. "Belly," I say. She touches her belly, then leans her head against my chest in a sweet baby hug.
We do this again and again. The eyes searching, the shawl opening and closing, the shirts and the belly. The tries at "sh." The hugs.
I kiss her face over and again, and I feel something inside me pulling apart, opening. A creative space. A loving space. Something like a shawl opening and closing around another person. And I feel full. So, so full.
_______
On, In and Around Mondays (which partly means you can post any day and still add a link) is an invitation to write from where you are. Tell us what is on, in, around (over, under, near, by...) you. Feel free to write any which way... compose a tight poem or just ramble for a few paragraphs. But we should feel a sense of place. Would you like to try? Write something 'in place' and add your link below.
If you could kindly link back here when you post, it will create a central meeting place. :)
This post is also shared with Laura Boggess, for...
Labels: creativity, family stories, On in and Around Mondays
posted by L.L. Barkat at 5:53 PM
20 Comments:
I could see the baby playing with your shawl, and at the end, the opening of your heart to take in the awesome gift of this new life...lovely.
This is what poetry looks like.
yeah. i love this. because my boys? can't hold them anymore and they don't want hugs either. so i'm relegated to my friends' babies. and i could hold one for hours, i suppose.
"full" is a perfect way to say it. and tears come to remind me - me, now fully immersed in the work of babies - how much more there is here.
AAhhhh, babies! Simple joy and simply love. So beautiful! My oldest is having a baby new years eve with his lovely wife. My youngest, 11, says, "I cant' be an uncle. Uncles are old." There will be much love grown New Years Eve.
Oh, I so get this. The further away from babyhood I get (my baby is 16), the sweeter the joy from holding other people's babies. I still have so much to learn from them.
I played peek-a-boo with a baby in front of me at a chorus concert last Tuesday. We both risked getting in trouble for it, but it was so worth it. :-)
We are at the stage where our babies are providing us with babies.
It is sweet.
I learn so much from my grandkids, Lately it's life lessons from my grandson's favorite: "Thoma Twain" Thomas The Train. Thank you for this.
This is just completely lovely.
I'm still in that stage of life and treasuring those moments :)
Oh, how I love the beauty in this. I just spent the day with my granddaughter who held out a book to me and said, "dookt." We read all about puppies.
How beautiful...the words and the images and memories it brings forth for me.
This makes me want a visit with my new nephew. Christmas time is always good for a visit or two. Maybe I'll make it home. Maybe not. :)
My little nativity figure is a Baby Jesus with a bunny on top. Folk art.
I've got a little one about that size and they are just amazing. And when I am around other little ones that size, I just want to love on them, too. And if they cry, I am holding myself back from taking that child into my arms like my own because, well, the parent is probably right there, and well, the child doesn't even know me...yet my heart is undone. I get this.
This was so very nice...and I love that just today I returned from a few days watching my niece and nephews. My baby {2 years 3 mos.} was the baby, but still, to just enjoy these little lives when my auntie role has been distant due to moves and my own coming along and they were my twin's kids and when I said {first name}{middle name}! as if to reprimand I got a double take and sly smile because it was JUST how their mama would say it;} good to be here today!
Babied tear at our hearts - we love them so. God in his grace picks us up out of the dust and loves us anyway dirt and all. Then he cleans us up and teaches us how to speak his language.
Ah, you open your shawl and let us feel its warmth surround us. You have maternal instincts even toward writers you love and mentor.
Is it Thursday already, and I have missed you again? I thought it was Wednesday when I woke this morning, and then the world went crazy and it was Thursday instead, but it FELT like Monday, the way things went.
I love this moment. I wanted another baby when I woke up today. I don't know if I do now, but you have given me back my desire for the children I have.
So thank you. :-)
Just read this one today and so glad I did. It helped me stop in the moment and enjoy and receive peace. Thank you. Merry Christmas!
You always write mama moments so so well.
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