One Person, One Moment

We were all there: both sets of grandparents anxiously awaiting the arrival of the expectant parents.  It was a small room on the first floor of Women's Prentice Hospital.  Just days before, the doctor had determined that an emergency cesarian was necessary.  Already, the pregnancy had been worrisome and now the baby needed to be delivered a month early.

With helplessness looming over us, we watch as the two were escorted into a room down a hallway behind locked doors.  Now, we were left to wait.

With the grandparents was the soon-to-be brother.  Gramps was the designated babysitter for the day. So, knowing that the dimly lit, cold and quiet room was not the place for a five year old, the two left the hospital to spend time in the sun.  The rest of us had no such distraction.  Honestly, I know I did not want the distraction anyway.  My thoughts were only on my daughter and new grandchild.  There were dangers involved.  It was a scary time.

Feeling alone and wishing that somehow Gramps could have been with me instead, it was with surprised delight when in walked my nephew, Don!

I had know him for more than thirty years and always had a love and fondness for his gentle spirit and intelligent soul.  But, I would never have predicted that he would make the trek to the hospital.  His presence was comforting.  Don is the kind of man that knows when to talk and when to be quiet.  With that knowledge, he astutely knew how to just be there for me.

The day was long and the procedure was twice as long as we had anticipated.  At one point, the two grandmothers checked with the front desk regarding any news.  The receptionist made a very vague response which was misinterpreted.  Therefore, I became very concerned that daughter and baby had not survived.  I was terrified.

Don helped me through the valley that day.  All the times that I had been the adult in his childhood were nothing in comparison with the adult that he was to my frayed emotions that day.

Almost two years ago, I not only met my new granddaughter, I also met someone I had known for more than thirty years.