A Pregnant Pause
Some feelings we shouldn’t forget
Our most treasured experiences get buried.
Even events that once felt momentous —
first words,
first steps,
first kicks from the inside —
are often left behind.
Yet, three strangers stirred feelings in me
I hope to always remember.
Some time ago,
in a restaurant buzzing with
Saturday night,
a performer entered in top hat and tails.
Then she belted a showtune to
a couple nearby over their
linguine and Chianti.
To “You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby,”
she sang home-grown lyrics about
a new baby on the way.
The guy went pale and
the room grew quiet.
You could practically hear the wine breath.
But when his dinner date nodded,
the crowd “Ooohed” and “Aaahed”
like aunts at a shower.
The dad-in-waiting paused…
then thrust his fists in a victory V and shouted,
“I’m going to be a father!
She’s going to be a mom!”
We clapped so loud,
the chef came out of the kitchen.
Everyone seemed touched by his revelation.
Some, no doubt, hoped for their own, while
others thought back to how their news was shared.
I suddenly remembered a doctor’s nod after
years of trying…
Yes, there was crying.
This song-and-spaghetti surprise was
a great way of spilling the genes, like
refilling a fortune cookie, or
hiding a bootie in a cereal box, or
pairing a pee stick with
a cup of milk.
Whether a whisper in bed, or
a nod from a fertility doctor, or
a faraway phone call on adoption,
the effect is profound:
“Our child is coming, our friend for life,
an amazing creation to cherish and love.”
Everyone there got a gift that night —
a special brand of takeout to savor:
when momentous feelings fade
into diaper changes and play dates,
drivers-ed and first dates,
it’s best to take a pause…
And recall the wonder.
Share your thoughts here, tweet me @bylinetd on Twitter, or reach me at teri-daniels.com.
