Being There

Originally posted January 24, 2007

Today I saw a baby born. Today I was there.

Women...mothers...are all connected to each other through this act, this ritual. We share the pain. We share the tears. The joy. The love. I didn't get that before. Not really anyway. Even having my own children...it's different. The pain and the anticipation and the fear distract you from the fact that you are feeling what your mother and your grandmother and every mother before you has felt. Your tears are their tears. My tears are her tears. We all weep and birth together. We all moan and pace and when we think we can't do it somehow we find more strength. Somehow we do it. She wept. She paced. She birthed. She moaned with the voice of all women who went before her and I was allowed to be there. To bear witness.

Thank you Ellisa. I love you. Welcome to the world baby Max.