INTRODUCING MIA — free as the sky

Yesterday marked yet another first experience of my life. It is the kind of first I get to savor during this season of life: My girl had a baby girl. It was a rapturous gift. It was nothing short of a miracle. I know a thing or two (actually four) about babies. This experience, though, was different in that since I was not so intricately involved, I got to witness the unfolding miracle more panoramically, hover around in prayers, and do whatever was necessary to welcome the new addition to our growing extended family. I was a cleaner, courier, driver, shopper, dog-sitter, and cook, with humming joy. My crowning achievement was when Hannah ate miyeokgook (seaweed soup, the ultimate postpartum Korean food for new mothers) as her first meal I made from scratch. “Mmmm,“ was all I needed to hear.

We knew Hannah and the baby were healthy, though the baby was a few days overdue. None of us was concerned, but since Hannah wanted a natural birth, she was hoping the baby would arrive sooner rather than later. This was also my wife’s first, in that she was helping someone else’s labor and delivery other than her own. My wife was honored Hannah wanted her mom right by her; my wife responded with an enthusiastic yes. As contractions became more regular and stronger, Hannah, Jeremiah, and my wife went to the hospital after midnight. The rest of the family slept very poorly, eagerly waiting for the news to arrive.

Finally, my wife texted the family group chat at 10:17 am, “She’s born!” The group chat exploded with blissful shouts of thanksgiving, with capital letters and emojis galore. After running around all morning, I sat down for coffee and read the message. Tears welled up immediately, and I murmured to myself, “My baby girl had a baby girl.” Hannah’s life flashed before me like a melodramatic feel-good movie in a split second. Even then, it was hard to capture precisely what I was feeling and processing. It would be woefully inadequate to try to understand it and put it into words as my instinctive body took charge to be helpful all day.

A few hours later, I met Mia for the first time. I was quickly mesmerized by her eyes, nose, and tiny, long fingers as I held her and whispered a song, Barocha, by Michael Card. If perfection exists, she would be it. The cosmos was in her. God was in her. I thought to myself, there is a part of me in her, too. Yet she is her own unique, utterly independent person, a beloved of God. A human being can bear a human being, created in God’s image, for Mia to be Mia. What an incredibly befuddling divine mystery and partnership with humanity!

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It is the day after. I have been trying to land all my emotions and thoughts, not because I feel I have to, but because I want to. That is what humans do, or at least try to do, resulting in songs, arts, poetry, etc. I am still baffled by the mystery of it all and by what I am experiencing. Euphoric, for sure, is one. My graced and affectionate moments as a father gleamed before me. My immature and far-less-than-perfect yesteryear’s fatherhood also flashed before me, which I am holding tenderly, urging me to pray for Hannah and Jeremiah, modeling after the Perfect Father, as brand-new parents. As the world is both beauty and savage, I am excited and ache for Mia and her unfolding journey, not to mention Hannah and Jeremiah as parents. As part of God’s design, family plays a paramount role in shaping and growing our consciousness throughout our human and divine journeys.

Mia was conceived by God’s good, perfect plan, born in God’s impeccable timing, and aided by family and saints in the US and Asia, who prayed for a safe passage into this world. To be sure, Mia will shine her own light, a true reflection of the One True Light, constantly surrounded by family and saints cheering for her.

She already has.

In the meantime, I am connecting with Jaelen. .