The 4 S's

A surprise package is awaiting my return to Sydney today.  I spoke with Liz and Logan yesterday, and learned that she gave birth to a healthy baby boy on Friday morning, around 7:45am, just shy of 2 weeks ahead of schedule.  I had been hopeful to give them some time as a family together without their added houseguest, so they could enjoy some time before baby chaos.  Ah, such lofty plans!  Baby Williams was set upon disregarding them.   So now I will have the outstanding priviledge of meeting him and hopefully helping to entertain Reid.  Though intuition tells me that the best gift might be taking another trip away from the Williams household, and letting them adjust to this tender new family life together, sans visitor.  I think the Blue Mountains are beckoning....but I must at least greet this little guy first.

Ironically, while in Port Stephens I was reminded of the 4 S's, a concept that my many mother friends discuss when attending to their newborn babies.  Or Perhaps it is the 5 S's..swaddle, side, swing, shoosh and...help me out here...I know there is another one.  But the reason it came to me had nothing to do with babies.  It seems ridiculous now to make this connection, but my mind is funny that way.  I thought of it while hiking up a small mountain next to the beach called Tamoree Head, shortly after my fall and a brief visit to the beach.  It was quite hot, I was covered in sand, sweating profusely, and had begun to notice the odiferousness I was sending out into the universe.  And thus began my 4 S's of Port Stephens: Sweaty, Sandy, Smelly, Salty, and what the hell, lets make it 5...Sore (my scraped knee had begun to throb).  But despite all this, I was in absolute heaven.  I was at peace with myself and my (albeit gorgeous) surroundings.  Forget the 25 spiders I passed on my way up to Tamoree's lookout, forget the throbbing knee and the brown snake in the bushes, forget the thoughts of work or plane ticket purchases needing to be made.   I was in paradise for a day.  

What a gift. I have been looking for an excuse to include another poem, by Hafiz.  And this is just the occasion.  It reminds me of Liz and Logan's son Reid, who has taken to saying the word, 'gift' quite frequently.  His latest gift?  A new baby brother....the best kind.

There are so many gifts

Still unopened from your birthday,

There are so many hand-crafted presents

That have been sent to you by God.

The Beloved does not mind repeating,

"Everything I have is also yours."

There are so many gifts, my dear,

Still unopened from your birthday.

O, there are so many hand-crafted presents

That have been sent to your life

From God.