Today I was singularly blessed in one of the most important means I have experienced to date.

Our baby granddaughter, our first grandchild, was brought into this world. She is beautiful and accomplished much, far more than many, in her ever brief span of life. She came and she went as a match struck and, once flared, little more than a wisp of smoke. Yet, this little one grasped with strength greater than that possessed by any human and brought two young people who were struggling in marriage tested by Army field deployment in the Middle East and taught them the meaning of love, unconditional abiding no strings attached LOVE. Her grandparents all four were gathered in the birthing room knowing as did her parents who had summoned us that her life was not tenuous, not critical, but passing. We gave each to her out of love the special blessings we had to share. We smiled. We cried. We hugged. We held our precious little bundle already summoned to the Almighty and bid her adieu.

I sang a lullaby I had composed almost two decades ago for our daughter, the youngest of our children, who was the surviving twin of Cleo's third pregnancy as her twin had miscarried. I referred to our Em as a miracle child and our blessing. The lyrics follow:

Sleep, my babe, my little child,
hush-a-by and sleep.
Sleep my babe, my little child,
slumber restfully.
Daddy is watching, and Mama's nearby,
We hug you dear and love you so,
sleep now miracle child.
Sleep my babe, my little child,
slumber restfully.

Afterward, I was allowed as an Elder of my church to anoint our little one with Holy Oil in the sign of the cross, which I did as I prayed over her, telling her I had so wished to have had more time with her and letting her know I looked forward to the day we would meet again.

A little family which was struggling is now bound by the shared love of parents and grandparents alike for she who has gone before us. She taught us so much, a true PhD. in philosophy, psychology, and life.

Bye Bye for now my blessing,
Grandpa Ridder