Holding a new baby boy can make a guy think

On Saturday night, I witnessed one of God’s miracles up close and personal. I held a new baby boy, and rocked him to sleep. OK. I know this isn’t exactly groundbreaking material here, but still … There we were at our dear friend’s house – my wife’s best friend for more than 30 years, her husband and her ever-growing family, which now has three young children. I was asked to hold the baby for a few minutes. I do not have many skills, but holding a baby? I can do that.

As I stared into this little boy’s eyes, all 5 days old of him, I saw him staring back at me. Now, I know all he could make out was shadows and vague colors – good thing too, as he doesn’t need to be focusing in on some unshaven older dude in a runner’s cap. So I started talking quietly to the baby. I described the chaotic and noisy scene around him – our three kids, his two older sisters, the adults clattering in the dining room and the kitchen. I told him what a wonderful world he was entering, and how much noise he would be surrounded with, and how much love he would be surrounded with.

And then I looked up and I saw my daughter, Natalie, practicing her violin for the school orchestra and putting on a small show for us all. I stared at my daughter, now 10, and stared at the 5-day-old baby, and I started to cry. Yeah, that’s right, a guy admitting that he cries. I have three children, and I love them all, but for some reason I remember holding my daughter the most when she was a baby. I remember staring into her eyes and talking softly to her, and calling her “pretty girl” and kissing her forehead gently as she tried to fall asleep. I looked at the baby, and I looked at my 10-year-old girl, and it struck me how fast it all goes. Maybe in 10 years, I’ll be attending this 5-day-old boy’s Little League games as “Uncle Pete.” But sheesh, by then Natalie will be a grown-up woman at 20. Yikes!

At the Central Connecticut meet earlier that same day, I saw Marist Running Alums Brian Perrella and Susan Golden. They are married and they were at the meet with their two young boys. Brian graduated 10 years ago, in 2002. His “alumni weekend” consisted and seeing his old coach and his old program, not far from his Connecticut home; their presence was very much appreciated. Ten years ago. When Brian graduated, Natalie was not yet even born! Ten years later, she is a violin-playing girl, and Brian and Sue have a young family of their own.

How does this relate to the team and this blog? When I see the parents of our current athletes now, I realize that perhaps they might be experiencing similar feelings at times. Their children -- the babies they used to hold in their arms, those helpless creatures who relied on their parents for everything – are no longer children. They are grown up. They are in college. They are real-life D1 athletes, runners, students. They no longer rely on their parents for everything. But in their parents’ eyes, even amid the fast pace of adult life and their children growing into quality young adults, a part of them will always be the baby they held in their arms 20 or so years ago.

On a Saturday night at a friend’s house, witnessing first-hand God’s greatest miracle, this was a good reminder and refresher course on the cycles of life.