Can I Hold Your Baby?

One of my best friends had her baby boy 2 months before our kid was born. I watched her go through all of the stages that I was about to encounter. When their beautiful son was born, it was surreal.

She was walking down the hallway of the hospital with her most precious cargo, and there was a very old, very unhealthy-looking lady laying on a gurney. The lady looked up, and in a scratchy, I've-smoked-for-my-entire-life voice, said, "Can I hold your baby?" My friend told me that she wanted to ask 'why are you in here?' but instead, said, "You can look at him..." so she held the baby out of arm's reach and shared the joy of a newborn with someone who might not have otherwise had that chance again in her life.

When Eve was just 16 days old, one of my very best friends got married. We were bombarded with friends and acquaintances wanting to see and to hold the baby. I happily complied, since the kid slept through anything and everything at that point in her new little life. I have heard of baby showers where, much to the dismay of the shower-goers, the new mom wouldn't pass her baby around. Apparently this pisses women off. I never understood what the big deal was about holding a new baby, until about 6 months later.

My baby Eve was already in 12 month clothing and eating solid food, and when I picked up a friend's newborn baby, I had a rush of indescribable emotion surge through my entire being. My mind and my body and my heart were all transported back to the time when my baby was so tiny and new and helpless. Holding someone else's newborn baby is like stepping into a time machine. The rest of the world disappears around you and you forget about diapers and sleepless nights. All you can see is the miracle of life and the privilege it is to be part of the universe.