Celebration of Life

Yesterday morning I had the pleasure of receiving an email from a friend. The email included a photo attachment of her newborn baby daughter.  Upon opening the photo, I instantly was taken to a place of Complete Baby Observation Mode.  (I capitalized these words to emphasize the mission my whole being immediately shifted into.)  I was very present while watchfully and viscerally embracing this new life.

The infant was lying on her back with her arms peacefully resting overhead, her eyes closed in sleep, and her legs bowed as if still in the womb.  Even from a photograph, I could taste her full cheeks—in the way you can just suck a baby’s cheek into your mouth with playful vacuum kisses of love.  And, I could smell that new baby smell, which is like no other smell.

This was experience, emotion, memory, sensory, and spiritual presence packed into just moments of time.  This experience was filled with joy and the celebration of life.

I could not stop observing or smiling—partially because I was in a place of wonder and awe of how one is put together and partially because of my own memories of when my two sons were born.  The keen in-the-moment-witnessing of their structure was incredible.  Seeing their faces, tiny toes and fingers, and how they each had all of their digits.  Surveying their bodies’ movements and sounds; and, ultimately, experiencing their spirit—their authentic being in physical form.

Imagine if we could look at all aspects of life each day in this place of observation, awe, and wonder!