One of the biggest drawbacks of having a creative mind is my Adult ADD.
Mine was acting up big time as I watched the family in front of me in church.
I tried focusing on the readings and prayers but my eyes kept drifting to the couple in front of me and
their baby girl.
The baby was tiny, as many babies are and she had a big bow wrapped around her head.
I thought of the many times my wife put a bow around our daughter Marissa’s head in the first few
months of her life. It made sense that we put a bow on our daughter because she was the best gift
either of us ever received. I saw that the young mother in front of us thought the same of her
baby girl.
Like me, She wasn’t focused on the readings, her sole focus was on her adorable newborn girl.
One of the best things you’ll ever see in life is seeing a new mother look lovingly at their child.
Seeing this in church reminded me of my wife Angela doing the same thing years ago.
I loved how she looked down lovingly at our daughter when she used to rock her to sleep or when she
would hold her closely on so many other occasions.
Next I saw the father of the baby reach his hand down toward his daughter. The baby girl wrapped her
tiny hand around his much bigger finger and the memories came flooding back to twenty plus years
ago. I recalled that magical feeling I felt the first time my little girl wrapped her tiny little fingers
around mine. My heart was filled the kind of love you really can’t match in life.
Ironically, Marissa still has me wrapped around her finger and she still brings me plenty of pride and joy.
The couple scooted closer to each other and took turns holding the baby. The husband rubbed his
wife’s back. It didn’t take a genius (thank goodness for me) to figure out this was a happy young
family.
As I watched them I thought to myself that was us twenty three years ago.
I recalled walking into church with pride, as I stood by my beautiful young wife and equally
beautiful baby girl. I remembered thinking “ gosh I’m the luckiest guy on earth.”
Part of me was sad for a minute or two and I wished for that time in my life again. Then I
reminded myself that I was still darn lucky to be at church with the two people I love the
most in this world.
I glanced down and noticed the newborn in front of me was fast asleep and I recalled my daughter
sleeping contently in her baptismal gown, I remembered her walking down to her first communion
in a white laced dress. I recalled her being grown up, gorgeous and confident at her confirmation.
I remembered the satin dresses at Christmas time and her bright colorful dresses at Easter.
I wanted to find the rewind button on life and go back to those days.
As mass ended, I thought of leaning over to the couple in front of me and telling them to enjoy all the
times they would have with their daughter, because those times will zoom by at an unfair speed.
Then I decided it was much better for me to just let them enjoy the moment.
The simplest moments with your family become life’s greatest memories and I didn’t want to ruin theirs.
