Meeting My Granddaughter After Months of the Pandemic
My extraordinary day was more than I expected.
In January 2021, I joined Medium with a desire to write, engage, and connect with a readership who found meaning in my words. My second article focused on my virtual relationship with my granddaughter when Covid-19 prevented us from meeting face-to-face. Over WhatsApp, Addy and I had spent months getting to know each other, but I questioned whether or not I was simply an actress playing a role in her life movie or if there was a true emotional bond. After thirty months of life and a mere five visits a year ago, yesterday, I held her in my arms. It wasn’t what I expected. Here’s why.
Her birth came at a time when life was confusing. I became a first-time aunt, my father figure died, Addy was born, and my husband had a liver transplant, all within a week. My emotions waffled between excitement and gratitude, sorrow and grief mixed with stress. It was hard to process, but through it all, her existence gave me comfort and balance. As I struggled with the loss and uncertainty, Addy’s arrival into this world brought with it elements of hope and a reason to smile.
At first, I was unable to visit her. My role of caregiver was all-consuming, and then Covid-19 became a pandemic and seeing family became obsolete. I cherished my virtual…
