On with Tradition

2.05.2008

I can remember when Sophie was a baby and we were living in my sister's basement apartment....I'd hear a soft tap at the door separating their home from ours, and then a sweet little face would peek in and ask if she could come visit "Sophie Grayce". That sweet little face, then 5, now almost 11, belonged to my niece, Mary Michal. I can still remember her, perched on the edge of a seat way-to-big for her little frame, opening her mouth (as we all do when feeding babies, as if the act itself is contagious) and feeding Soph a mixture of rice, sweet potato and apple. I also remember the delight of Sophie to have someone new taking on this (to her) mundane task...she never enjoyed eating like her younger siblings. It gave me a glimpse of the joy it would be to have more than one child (to this day, Sophie call Mary Mike her big-sister-cousin...they share the same birth date, as well). Then came Sophie feeding Annie...different apartment, different continent, hey, different side of the world...but the familiarity of the scene was as heart-warming as ever. Now, the tradition continues as Annie, no longer receiver of messy spoonfuls, but giver, takes on the mantle of nurturing the next one in line. This time same apartment, same kitchen, same high chair...only the players have changed. Continuity...