Viral

My grandchildren are viral. Viral as in rapidly circulated on the internet - not viral as in sick, thank goodness. But I'm not sure how I feel about it. On the one hand, it's kind of exciting. I mean, to me, a video of them (or their equally adorable cousins) is absolutely worth watching again and again and again. And totally newsworthy on my Facebook feed for my dearest friends and acquaintances to ooh and ahh over. So it's kinda cool that millions of people all over the world - I kid you not - are realizing the cuteness that exists in our family. We've been getting calls all day that one person or another saw the video out in media world.... Fox and Friends, MSN, Daily Mail UK, ABC to name a few. Sports analyst, Pat McAfee even used the video as an example of the reaction of most Americans while watching the Patriots game yesterday. On the other hand, it's a little strange to have random people talking about our babies. 😳

For better or worse, our Ella has captured a feeling we can all relate to... that moment when we realize we are no longer the center of the universe. A stunning change comes to rock our little world and it's not going away. And we are left blinking into the life-camera trying to make sense of it all. The new normal, we call it. Maybe our world-rocker is wonderful... a new baby, a marriage, a promotion. Or maybe not so wonderful... a death, an illness, infertility, a broken relationship. And it may feel viral... not the good one. What do we do with these change-agents? Without sounding trite, I hope, I think we only have one choice. Embrace them. Take a few minutes - or months- to process and then wrap it up in your arms. This is part of you now. This will change you in ways you never imagined. You will be different. This will make you more complex and interesting. It will make you more human - maybe more humble, too. This will make you more you.

Example. I have some acquaintances who knew another acquaintance of mine several years ago. They formed an opinion of him based on that time in his life. He moved on and they had no way of knowing that he subsequently experienced some pretty big challenges. When I mentioned knowing him, they gave me their past-based view of him... very different from the way I saw him. To them, he was a bit arrogant and aloof. I knew him to be humble and approachable. What made the difference? His world-rockers. My friend was worn-meek and heart-soft on the far side of some trouble years. And he uses those tender-heart-parts to reach out to other battle-scarred-deer-in-the-headlights-wanderers. Dispensing hope and healing. He is the source of these lovely words: Healed enough to help heal the world. And he is. And he is. And we shall be as well. How can I know this? Another baby came along. This World-Rocker, he came. Our Baby Brother. He embraces joy and sorrow alike - absorbs them into Himself and hands them back swaddling-cloth-soft. In spite of our frozen stares and unbending arms. He whispers, this is your new. I am your new. We have each other. And it will be good. Eventually. Kiss me on the head. Selah.

Apart from the few seconds caught on video, Ella has adjusted beautifully to her little brother. Her mom and dad are spending one-on-one time with her as well as including her in caring for little Coleman. And she does give him kisses - off camera. They are going to be just fine. Better than fine. Family. Selah. Again.