15 years ago today, a blonde haired, blue eyed baby girl came into this world at a Navy Hospital in Okinawa, Japan (NAS Camp Lester Hospital, Chatan-Cho Japan).....early in the morning before the coffee was brewing. She arrived quickly, so quickly that no one was ready for her, and her momma ended up heel kicking the well-meaning male Nurse Practitioner who had stumbled in sleepy-eyed at the last minute. He was only trying to help but he was clumsy in his aid. This little lady, you see, had arrived in a thoughtful, dreamy pose: her right fist was curled up by her cheek and it had stayed that way as she got closer to her destination. He had tried to adjust her fist down at the last minute and things got dramatic from there on out. LOL It all worked out, obviously, and she came into this world without a sound, quietly gazing around at all of us. The nurses fussed over her for some time, making sure the rough delivery had not done any damage to her, and she slept peacefully for days after the delivery. We both did, in fact. Her big brother continuously peeped at her over her crib rail, checking to make sure his sister was ok until she was ready to join him in the rollicking play ground called the living room at that time. She is the same now as she was in the days following her birth: thoughtful, contemplative, quiet, kind-hearted, but fierce and resolute when she sets her mind on achieving something. When she is ready to do something, she just......gets to it. I see so much of my maternal grandmother in her, it hurts sometimes. She is named after that woman, as well. Strangers used to coo over her in stores and in public; her Japanese heritage is simply overwhelmed appearance-wise by something French, German, or Irish in our lineage. But her name is HER: it means grace and it applies to her entirely. I suspect she will be underestimated at times, as I have been, and I already see the fire in her eyes when she realizes that she needs to determine her own story and let no one else do that for her, via jealousy or ignorance or even kindness. She has a good enough mind, that she will determine best how to use it for this life. The fact that she gets that, relieves me immensely. In closing, I am secretly overjoyed that I have been able to share a life with my daughter nearly in isolation from some of her extended family and her dad also, for nearly three years now, since our divorce. Only a handful of us get to revel in her sense of humor, her laughter, and her amazing mind right now. I feel as if I have been watching something very precious grow up and getting to witness and take part in that with both of my children has made me a better human being. Soon the world is going to also get to enjoy her maturing, awakening, and gifts that she will share with it. She wants to help people, heal their minds, particularly those of children, and I can think of no better way to help mankind than with that endeavor, in particular. I could not ask for more in a daughter and I hope that her new kitteh (Auto), other gifts, and that massive ice cream cake were enough to remind her of just a fraction of how much we, (Chris Eric) and I, love and admire this young lady. Happy birthday Keiko Long! Keiko Pearl Long
Posted on: Sun, 17 Aug 2014 19:04:51 +0000