Tuesday, May 30, 2006
(REPOSTED FROM SATURDAY NIGHT)
Ruby
I slept for 4 hours last night and when I woke up at 8am, I could hear Rita in the other room with Ruby. The two were giggling and making sounds and enjoying each other's company. I listened for a bit and I marveled at the part of Rita's life that I just don't understand.
As if it was destined to be, I sat up on the couch and stared down the hallway. At the exact moment, Rita walked out holding Ruby in her arms.
This is the moment that I will never forget for as long as I live...
I glance at Rita and immediately look down into Ruby's eyes. She looks into my eyes and she SMILES. I gasp and stutter something and she just continues to look me directly in the eye and SMILE. It was like she knew me already...as though this was our third of fourth visit.
To minimalize the experience, I melted. In the proceeding minutes Rita introduced me to Ruby and did her mommy thing and I just remember sitting there thinking "everything has changed". My best friend has a BABY. My best friend...has a baby.
It was with that realization that the tears climbed into my throat.
Over the course of the day I played with Ruby as though I was getting paid 10 grand an hour for it. The crazy faces and over animated dance routines began at 9am and at 10:30am, I looked at Rita and said "I could lose my life doing this". Falling in love so fast is crazy and overwhelming and a feeling that I really can't explain.
Ruby is going to grow up and really know who I am. She will KNOW that I'm her mommy's best friend. She will respect me and love me and look up to me. Rita refers to me as "Uncle Joe" so casually that I never really GOT it. I'm "Uncle Joe"! Like for reals!
We spent the entire day together...
But while Rita's husband was cooking steaks on the grill, Rita told me that Ruby needed a nap. I followed her into the bedroom and sat on the floor. Rita turned the lights off, sat in the rocking chair and turned on a mixed CD that would set the mood.
I watched as Rita rocked her BABY in her arms while Sarah Mclachlen played in the background. As I saw Ruby fall to sleep and as I saw Rita connect with this extension of herself...I started to cry. I started to cry so hard that Rita had to hug me outside of Ruby's bedroom for a solid couple of minutes.
We all know that I love Rita. But now I love her baby. Which is SO weird for me, cuz I don't love ANYTHING. My own DOG had to grow on me for a couple weeks before I became obsessed with him. But with this child...with this beautiful Ruby...
She smiled at me the minute she saw me. She knows.
And for the first time, I know.
Rita and I are forever. And conjunctively, Ruby and I have a future that I can not only count on, but amazingly...look forward to.
If you could bottle up and sell this feeling, it would go for BANK on the streets of New York.
For the first time in a long time, I realize that we are all truly blessed. And I don't mean that as a figure of speech.
I sincerely mean, we are all
truly
blessed.
Ruby
I slept for 4 hours last night and when I woke up at 8am, I could hear Rita in the other room with Ruby. The two were giggling and making sounds and enjoying each other's company. I listened for a bit and I marveled at the part of Rita's life that I just don't understand.
As if it was destined to be, I sat up on the couch and stared down the hallway. At the exact moment, Rita walked out holding Ruby in her arms.
This is the moment that I will never forget for as long as I live...
I glance at Rita and immediately look down into Ruby's eyes. She looks into my eyes and she SMILES. I gasp and stutter something and she just continues to look me directly in the eye and SMILE. It was like she knew me already...as though this was our third of fourth visit.
To minimalize the experience, I melted. In the proceeding minutes Rita introduced me to Ruby and did her mommy thing and I just remember sitting there thinking "everything has changed". My best friend has a BABY. My best friend...has a baby.
It was with that realization that the tears climbed into my throat.
Over the course of the day I played with Ruby as though I was getting paid 10 grand an hour for it. The crazy faces and over animated dance routines began at 9am and at 10:30am, I looked at Rita and said "I could lose my life doing this". Falling in love so fast is crazy and overwhelming and a feeling that I really can't explain.
Ruby is going to grow up and really know who I am. She will KNOW that I'm her mommy's best friend. She will respect me and love me and look up to me. Rita refers to me as "Uncle Joe" so casually that I never really GOT it. I'm "Uncle Joe"! Like for reals!
We spent the entire day together...
But while Rita's husband was cooking steaks on the grill, Rita told me that Ruby needed a nap. I followed her into the bedroom and sat on the floor. Rita turned the lights off, sat in the rocking chair and turned on a mixed CD that would set the mood.
I watched as Rita rocked her BABY in her arms while Sarah Mclachlen played in the background. As I saw Ruby fall to sleep and as I saw Rita connect with this extension of herself...I started to cry. I started to cry so hard that Rita had to hug me outside of Ruby's bedroom for a solid couple of minutes.
We all know that I love Rita. But now I love her baby. Which is SO weird for me, cuz I don't love ANYTHING. My own DOG had to grow on me for a couple weeks before I became obsessed with him. But with this child...with this beautiful Ruby...
She smiled at me the minute she saw me. She knows.
And for the first time, I know.
Rita and I are forever. And conjunctively, Ruby and I have a future that I can not only count on, but amazingly...look forward to.
If you could bottle up and sell this feeling, it would go for BANK on the streets of New York.
For the first time in a long time, I realize that we are all truly blessed. And I don't mean that as a figure of speech.
I sincerely mean, we are all
truly
blessed.
