CARTER

As I write this, Arlena and I are in Baltimore at Tracy’s and DaMon’s home sitting at the kitchen table with our newest grandson, Carter, lying in his cradle, squirming around, just begging to be picked up and held. Oops, he just got his wish. But, then, how was his grandmother to resist? Infants make the strongest of people weak. They are so very weak and yet they are so very strong.

They are so dependent on others for their very survival. But, then, aren’t we all? No one of us can get through this life all on our own. Sometimes in our bouts with our ego we think we can. Sometimes when feeling down and out and put upon we wish we could. But no one can, not even Bill Gates. All the money in the world cannot buy what only the love and care of another human being, other human beings, can freely give.

As I look at Carter, as I hold him in my hands, I have to think about that. I have to remind myself that Carter needs me as much as I need him. Actually, as needy, as totally needy that he is, I need him more than he needs me. He doesn’t know that and that is fine. At this moment all he knows and all he cares about and all he needs is to be held and fed and changed. We lovingly fulfill those needs not just because he is our grandson but simply because he needs us.

As I do my small part in fulfilling Carter’s needs, at the same time he is reminding me of how blessed I am, how blessed I have been, to have had and to have so many, many, many loving people in my life who have made and who make my life so very blessed. The sad fact, for me at least, is that it sometimes takes a helpless baby to remind me to remind myself of my many blessings.

It would be wonderful if I were the exception to the rule here, but I think not. It is so easy for each one of us to forget just how blessed we are no matter what our age. I used to think it was only teenagers who took their blessings not only for granted but also believed they were their rights. But adults do too even if we are a little less obnoxious about it at times. Sometimes we can be even more so than teenagers!

Even if we have not had the best of parents, as some should never be parents, we all have been blessed to have others in our lives who have loved us and reminded us that as we have been loved, so, too, must we love in return and especially love those who at the moment cannot return that love.

Carter is indeed a blessing: God’s gift to his parents and grandparents and the rest of his immediate family. At this time in his life all he can do is accept our unconditional love. He cannot love in return, at least not intentionally. What he does do is make us thankful for the blessing of his life and remind us of just how blessed we are, not only because he has come into our lives but for all our blessings.e jusHHe