Everybody’s Baby 01/03/2021

 Everybody’s Baby

 

April 25, 2020.  We were ten weeks into Covid-19.  On that day there were 972,379 cases in the United States and 55,371 deaths. Ten weeks into what has turned into a forty six week nightmare that shows no sign of ending.  Over that entire period of time, and especially now with the New Year, Americans have been desperately seeking a respite from the depression that has seemingly descended into every corner of our lives.  Desperately seeking anything that would give us the appearance of a return to normalcy.  The fight is real and while it is certainly different from family to family, and person to person, it is there for all of us.  And it really, really sucks.

 

But something else happened on April 25, 2020.  An event that, for those of us who are lucky enough to know of it, has given us all a reason to be filled with a strong sense of hope.  See, it was on that day that Aaron Joseph Kurjiaka was born.  

 

Virtually every day since then he has graced our presence in pictures or in person, and brought us a that certain sense of normalcy we so need.  His smile, his eyes, his obvious joy for being alive has made us feel that all may not be well, but it will be.  That no matter what we face on a daily, even hourly basis  that brings us down, Aaron’s smiling face is there to bring us back.

 

On a personal note, you all know what I have been through over the last two years.  Throwing the dreaded Covid on top of that has made things even more difficult.  Now, not having been able to see my kids in nearly two months, my daily slog has gotten even sloggier.  Every time I look, the hill gets steeper and more difficult to climb.  

 

I’ve been very lucky in that I have a wonderful circle of friends who are there for me on a daily basis. They help me in ways I cannot even begin to measure so I know in my heart all will eventually be fine.  

 

But if am to be completely honest I have to say that nothing lights up my heart like Aaron does.  And to think all I have to do is open Facebook!  Nothing gives me more hope than a quick look at his smiling face.  Nothing gives me the knowledge, with no doubt whatsoever, that I am going to emerge from this time of my life a better, stronger man.  There is no better living embodiment of hope for all of us. Nothing. 

 

That is why, although Aaron is Andy and Stephanie Kurjiaka’s son, he is Everybody’s Baby.  That may be mighty presumptuous of me but I’m sticking to it.  In my humble opinion he makes all of our lives not only tolerable, but eminently livable.  He is a symbol of pure joy and love.  A symbol that all is not lost, that the future is full of wonderful possibilities.

 

On April 25, 2020 Aaron Joseph Kurjiaka entered our world under circumstances we never thought we’d be forced to endure.  But there he was, 7.5 pounds of hope.

 

 

 

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