I started writing this post four days ago in my car as my oldest daughter (Bri) and her husband (Reece) eagerly awaited the arrival of Kai Lamar Wilkerson, who finally slid into the world around 2 a.m. on April 4. He is our first grandchild!
And just as I'd done each time one of my eight children were born, I wished that my own father (George Porter, Jr.) could've been here to witness it. I wish that he could've felt what I feel when I hold Kai!
This boy has literally rendered me speechless. Maybe that's why it has taken me the better part of four days to get these few words out. To say that I am completely mesmerized and smitten by him is the grossest possible understatement.
As I hold him and gaze into his beautiful face, I'm deeply moved by the fact that somehow a piece of everyone who came before Lisa and before me is deposited in him. All of the family members we've loved and lost, all of the ancestors unknown to us (along with their hopes and dreams) have each one contributed to make this new little human!
And so one generation passes on to the next!
Who will he be? What will he be? How will he impact his world?
My favorite band of all time (Earth, Wind, and Fire) recorded and released a song in 1977 entitled "Fantasy." The lyric begins like this:
Every man has a place
in his heart there’s a space
And the world can’t erase his fantasies
Take a ride in the sky
In our ship fantasii
All your dreams will come true right away
Over time I've grown to understand that my children ARE my fantasy, and they always have been...even when I was a child myself. They are the best, most pure thing I've ever done in my life. They are my dreams come true, So is Kai!
I really wish my dad was here to see this…
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