. . . Then someone lifted you up,

and there was a sound,

and they laid you on me, breathing.

~ Rachel Richardson, Excerpt from “Shearwater”

I have babies on my mind. It’s two days before the baby shower. The sky is cloudy, will there be a shower? The brook is running, the river placid and hope filled, as I am. Suzi, not feeling well, but still, she wants to be where the fresh air and fresh water make her feel better. Some pain back in my glute, who cares? We walk through the morning woods. The girls and I work in the offices to keep each other company. After I work on marketing some workshops I work on a slide show for the shower. I find photos from February, when this baby began, and put together a lovely photo-chronicle of these precious months together, the baby beginning right around the time fo the pandemic. Truly a pandemic process. My daughter is in the cramming phase, working long hours to finish a work project before maternity leave. I say goodnight to her in the office and we chat about some of her concerns. All issues that can be solved because we know to live in this moment, this day, and trust that all will be well. Oh, my heart kind of bursts with pride at this woman, this grown child, my daughter, this expectant mother, giving birth in uncertain and threatening times. Yet, she is open, cheerful, authentic, generous, loving, honest and empathic and hard working. We have had, over these many years, our tough, troubled, angst-filled, conflict filled challenges. Swept away now. So much healing between us. How lucky we are to have this friendship, this trust. After all. She hand feeds Suzi who has a stomach ache. We all circle Suzi today, with our concerns for her health. My son comes too to lay eyes and hands on her, because his sister called him. Tomorrow, Dr. Summerhayes will lay hands on her as well, and we hope, heal her.