My grand-daughter has said her first word recently, and it’s: "Hi!”
Is that a terrific first word or what?
She says it to everybody and everything.
“Hi!” she says to the lady quietly approaching her cart in the grocery store. “Hi!” she says to the dog walking toward us on a leash and “Hi!” to the dog’s owner, as he passes by. “Hi!” to the scarecrow on our neighbor’s lawn and “Hi!” to the creepy ghosts flying from the tree branches.
The baby hears a bird and points up to the tree: “Hi!” she calls, and “HI!” to the postal lady driving by in the truck and “Hi!” to Sr. Salvador who tips his hat while mowing a lawn.
They all say “Hi!” back in their own way, even the ghostly sheets appear to blow more strongly in the breeze. And it may be just a simple “Hi!” but I’ve seen it make the day of perfect strangers over and over again.
An elderly couple exited a building, assisted by walkers the other day. Hearing this chirpy “Hi!”, they stopped in their tracks.
“Well, hello, little one,” the lady said. “How nice to hear such a sweet hello. And with a cheery smile too? Oh my goodness, how lucky I am.”
The woman chortled and chatted while her husband stood behind her making faces and popping noises from his mouth as he must have done for all the babies in his life.
My grand-daughter flapped her arms and chortled back: “Hi! Hi!” EiEi! Hi!” - adding the signature sound to her ultimate greeting for those who totally experience the joy of being in that moment with her.
The woman chortled and chatted while her husband stood behind her making faces and popping noises from his mouth as he must have done for all the babies in his life.
My grand-daughter flapped her arms and chortled back: “Hi! Hi!” EiEi! Hi!” - adding the signature sound to her ultimate greeting for those who totally experience the joy of being in that moment with her.
I’ve said every month - “Oh she’s cuter than she’s ever been...” but this month - this tenth month has to be the one that tops the others. If she gets any sweeter, I will melt.
With her Grandpa, saying "Hi!" to the owl scarecrow
decorating our hometown Main Street
I am grandmother, hear me gush.
Those smiles. That laugh. Those arms reaching out to me. That sloppy wet kiss and the instant, down dog that interrupts even the most serious oatmeal box play.
When I see my daughter, the child’s mother, we just exchange a look of love about this off-spring and then utter, simultaneously: “I knowwwwww,” shaking our heads with thumping hearts because there are just no words left to say what we’re feeling.
When I see my daughter, the child’s mother, we just exchange a look of love about this off-spring and then utter, simultaneously: “I knowwwwww,” shaking our heads with thumping hearts because there are just no words left to say what we’re feeling.
No words except: “Hi!” which just rings through the air with a purity only a baby can give to her first word.
“Hi!” she says to me when I’m feeding her and “Hi!” again - with a wave this time - when she looks around the corner of her stroller at her grandpop pushing behind.
“Hi!” to the squirrel who skitters past us on the road. “Hi!” to the breeze when it rustles through her hair.
We are such open spirits when we’re new...when our words are new and the world is new to our new grandparents who see their own children anew with each and every “Hi!”
What is it, I wonder - this wonderful oneness with all - and where, oh where does it go?
