THE NARRATIVE ARC

My Granddaughter’s First Words Remind Me of My Mother’s Last

A story of self-acceptance

Photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash

Words are flying diamonds. They cross inches or thousands of miles and connect human beings to each other, stronger than any cement I know. They unlock the keys we have to enter each other, to work, to think, to know, to share, to survive. Linked together, the sentences, phrases, and stories create infinite, priceless possibilities in our knowledge of ourselves and each other.

Words

As a new grandmother and a mourning daughter, sister, niece and friend, it is only now that I realize that words are the most precious things I own. I regret the wasted letters that have fallen from my mouth. But whether I speak or write them, they still reign supreme as they populate every crevice and corner of my life.

Technology

Every day, at the same time, the phone rings. Across cables and currents, a digital highway snakes its way 4000 miles to my phone. It is my daughter Sarah, and granddaughter Luisa. They sit waiting for me to press the magic button that makes them appear in a flash with the sounds of talking and babbling.

I take a sharp intake of breath as I prepare to participate in our small miracle of three, who are so far apart, but for a few minutes feel so close together.

Luisa is 16 months old. She is a chubby-cheeked red head who lives by the principle that if you’re awake you must be in motion. And that if it’s quiet you must at least babble constantly and loudly to yourself.

Milestones

Over this time, I have taken such unexpected pleasure in what I wonkily call “Luisa’s Developmental Milestones.” I found three navy blue matching journals and made notes and drawings of her beginnings. It began as a visual journey of a tiny being who started as one blob of motion at birth, and over months could reach, roll over, kick, grasp and crawl.

Last week was a big one. Using a series of clunky moves, Luisa took her first death-defying step. She let go. Watching her is like being simultaneously transfixed and horrified. She sways and swaggers, reminding me of a wild drunken ride on a pinball…