A life has begun, a shadow is cast now what’s the story?
In Harry Potter there is a scene in which Harry looks in a mirror and as he does he sees his parents. How often have you looked in the morning mirror and saw your mother’s eyes or father’s chin?
Today I have this image in my head prompted I believe by what I wrote yesterday. It is the image of parents with a child though in shadow form.
I can recall when we brought Cee home from hospital and placed her in her Moses basket I knew my life had changed. Having a new pup was one thing having a new baby was quite another.
I felt the blanket of responsibility falling on me as with it came the realisation that this new born was totally dependent on her mum and me. Across from the table I was eating a meal I looked at the basket with the baby and thought, “This is real.”
Today the wall which was the backdrop to the baby in the basket came into my mind and I saw shadows cast across it. Like Harry I was crossing a time between my own birth, that of Cee with my own moment of becoming a parent and that also of my parents.
I found the featured image which helps convey something of what I am feeling. We can project our own lives on a wall and then begin to tell the story. The scene itself is neutral yet our minds will automatically be interpreting it, are they happy, are they sad, are they neither? All will be a reflection of our own experience.
I believe there comes a point whereby we see our parents through the light of our own parenting.
That moment perhaps hits us all when we realise ‘this is it’ the child is dependent on us. For most that is quite a challenge and some may run from it, others lacking confidence will put their trust in something to guide them and take it moment by moment.
Whatever happens, a life has begun, a shadow has been cast and at a point, a story will be told.
g.
