Little Joy

My bestest friends just had a baby girl last weekend, 5-6 days past when she was supposed to arrive. So yesterday I managed to visit them for dinner, and upon sitting down that little baby girl was set in my lap.

I was struck by three things. First, being introduced to a baby as (honourary) uncle is still one of the supremely cool things I've achieved in my life.

Next, it's amazing how absolutely tiny fingernails can be. Truly itty-bitty. Life is a pretty amazing thing, especially to see it arrive in such a small and unassuming package. Full of potential.

And finally... I had the thought "Damn, lucky girl, you're going to get to experience everything for the first time." Everything from beautiful sunsets, finding favourite music, eating fresh pineapple, and the smell of fresh rain on the pavement to the more bitter feelings of loss and heartache. The spectrum of the human experience is pretty intense, and all its sweet flavours can only be appreciated if you know the sour.

Then I thought, without any trace of Louis Armstrong's most overplayed song on my mind, how much of the world she'll get to see that I never will. It'll be an entirely different beast by the time she's my age, in terms of culture and technology. Yeah, a lot of those core experiences will link us together, but he tiny little existence will grow and see farther into the future than I ever will. Like I have/will see farther than my parents. Kind of a bittersweet notion, to know that the end of the greatest story I'll ever write is far from the end of the bigger plot.

No wonder so many people have a hard time figuring out life. It's a pretty intense thing.
-Cril

Throughout the days
Our true love ways
Will bring us joys to share
With those who really care

Sometimes we'll sigh
Sometimes we'll cry
And we'll know why
Just you and I
Know true love ways

Buddy Holly - True Love Ways