A Baby… the Future…

Let me start with this glad tiding. Audrey Autumn Hamilton was born on the Autumn Equinox, September 22, 2016, weighing 9 lbs, 9 ounces. It was a hard birth but Audrey was big and strong. Though I didn’t attend her birth (Elena represented us), I did feel the awesome life force energy in my body during her entrance to the world and in the room right after she arrived on planet earth.

The life force is the same thing that stirred in my own fight to be healthy and overcome cancer. Completely fierce and completely from the animal body, it rises like a big wave from the ocean, inspiring awe and sometimes terror. It is the elemental energy that gives life and takes life. I am so grateful that I was given a chance to be a grandmother.

Audrey’s birth has been life changing for me. As her grandmother, I am answerable for helping to create the world she will inherit. Which brings me the second life changing event. On a day few of us are likely to forget, Donald Trump became the president elect of this country. I am just barely finding words again so for now, I have to let grief find my truth. I learned how important this is when you need it during the year of cancer. It was an essential lesson for a time like this. Now, our country shudders toward foreboding and our planet’s climate shifts to something ominous. I have keened for the precarious future. I have also felt the seismic shifts and changes in the fabric of commonly held concepts amongst my progressive friends. We have pulled back and recognized the ways that we ourselves participated in the election of Trump: our non action, our laziness, our ignorance, not wanting to push outside our comfort zones and our willingness to post and spread half and non truths that were on “our side”.

You, my sweet Audrey– you will not have the luxury and the delusions of the era before Trump. You will be a warrior–because you will have to be– and all of us who care about the future will be at your side. Becoming Grandmother has reminded me that there is no retirement. We may come to live under Trump’s administration (though, even now, I keep praying for a miracle). But we also live in an America where Indigenous people are rising and defending the sacred. They are showing us the way of life, to be on this planet with all the odds stacked against them but for their traditions and prayers, family and community. I am so grateful for their courage and leadership.

You are also sacred, Audrey, and the dear and tender Earth is sacred. You are the Future I pledge myself to. My saddened heart is uplifted by you. I pledge not to give up, to keep fighting for your and the planet’s future. I hope we come to know each other as we do this side by side. I pledge to keep joy and beauty, family and laughter and nature in your life. It is true, “The darkness around us is deep.” (see poem below) but your very presence shines a light on our path, in your innocence and your power to buckle us to our knees with love for you. Thank you for reminding me of why I am still alive and showing us what the work is for all of us. Here is a poem by a loved and trusted poet with great wisdom– William Stafford. The last stanza is espeically poignant at this time in our history.

A Ritual to Read to Each Other

If you don’t know the kind of person I am
and I don’t know the kind of person you are
a pattern that others made may prevail in the world
and following the wrong god home we may miss our star.

For there is many a small betrayal in the mind,
a shrug that lets the fragile sequence break
sending with shouts the horrible errors of childhood
storming out to play through the broken dyke.

And as elephants parade holding each elephant’s tail,
but if one wanders the circus won’t find the park,
I call it cruel and maybe the root of all cruelty
to know what occurs but not recognize the fact.

And so I appeal to a voice, to something shadowy,
a remote important region in all who talk:
though we could fool each other, we should consider–
lest the parade of our mutual life get lost in the dark.

For it is important that awake people be awake,
or a breaking line may discourage them back to sleep;
the signals we give–yes or no, or maybe–
should be clear: the darkness around us is deep.

-William Stafford

7 comments on “A Baby… the Future…”

Dearest Shann and family: What an incredibly beautiful new baby she is! Congratulations and blessings for her future are wished by me.
I am filled with awe, Shann, every time I read any writing of yours and am so thankful that you have life.
To you and your lovely family, HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
Love you.

Thank you Shirley, I am honored. Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

Welcome to Miss Audrey Autumn Hamilton! Wonderful photograph!

You absolutely nailed this: “…we ourselves participated in the election of Trump: our non action, our laziness, our ignorance, not wanting to push outside our comfort zones and our willingness to post and spread half and non truths that were on ‘our side.'” To which I would add “our belief that our side was ‘right’ and would prevail.”

So many of my friends who were bemoaning the results had done nothing! Hard for me to understand that.

Loved that you ended with Bill Stafford’s poem. I had the honor to publicize what I believe was his last book — as well as what I believe was the first book of his son, Kim, with whom I am still in contact.

What a superb photo of grandma and her new arrival!!! Your smile could not have been broader. Delighted for you!

Happy Thanksgiving! May you be surrounded by laughter and love! Alice

========== Alice B. Acheson, Book Marketing/Publishing Consultant P. O. Box 735 Friday Harbor, WA 98250 360/378-2815 http://sites.google.com/site/alicebacheson Do It Yourself Life wrote on 11/18/2016 11:59 AM: > WordPress.com > Shann Weston posted: “Let me start with this glad tiding. Audrey > Autumn Hamilton was born on the Autumn Equinox, September 22, 2016, > weighing 9 lbs, 9 ounces. It was a hard birth but Audrey was big and > strong. Though I didn’t attend her birth (Elena represented us), I did > feel” >

Thank you Shann, always a wise word and little Audrey is lucky to have you too. Lovely Poem.

Congratulations on the birth of your first grandchild!! How wonderful for everyone. Welcome, little angel Audrey!! Indeed, we all need to rise to the occasion and shine our lights brighter than ever, remembering our Oneness. Blessings!! Love and Light to you, Steve and the family, Meredith

Dear Shann,

Thank you so much for your post, and especially for the pictures of your beautiful granddaughter, Audrey. I think you are a great writer and I appreciate that you have included me on your mailing list. I too feel awful about the results of the election. I keep wondering how there could be so many people in this great country who support Trump’s mean, selfish and stupid ideas. It seems like many people clearly voted against their own self-interests. I worry about my little granddaughter, Mirabel, age two. I’m always hoping that the world will get safer and cleaner and that, as she grows up, she will be able to enjoy birds and trees and flowers and all the positive things that nature has to offer. Thank you – to you and Steve and your daughters – for all your activism and dissemination of important information about the state of the environment and the political struggles that are related to its safe-keeping. I am happy to see you looking so well and hope that you are feeling as strong as you appear to be.

Joan C Brown from Guilderland, NY

_____