Honorific: To The Courage of My Newborn Granddaughter

Daily Prompt: Honorific. October 16th is officially declared “Person X Day” — and you get to pick Person X. Tell us about someone who deserves to be commemorated.

When I read this daily prompt, the first person to pop into my head was my five-week old old granddaughter, not some famous person who has accomplished great deeds.  What I find most startling about this little person called  Lila is this look of utter surprise as she surveys the world. When Lila,  turned at the sound of my voice and looked at me for the first time, her eyes widen suddenly in recognition. It was if she thought,

“Ah, so this is what you look like. I remember your voice.”

She remembered the sound of my voice from when she was in the womb and at 6 hours old, finally put a face to that voice. Lila has been thrust out from the safety and security of the womb into a huge, cold world with bright lights and loud abrasive sounds. She is wise, an old soul who connects with my spirit when we look at each other. It would be an unnerving experience if it were not so profoundly sweet.

This giant soul now inhabits a tiny, helpless body that is completely dependent on adults to decipher her wants and needs  because she is pre-verbal. All she can do is hope that her parents learn her voice, facial and body signals and become baby whisperers. She is at the mercy of their intelligence , love and patience.

Lila is a person, albeit a little person with personality and preferences, not a cute object. She can only hope that she is treated with respect because she has no power or control.

So I salute this brave soul, my newborn granddaughter.