Coming of Age

And before you know it, it’s time to go

The First Two Years

When Brian Summers was born, it wasn’t his choice. He didn’t necessarily want to be birthed. And his parents didn’t want him either if we’re being honest — and we are.

That’s the worst case take on this situation.

The best case is the parents (Brian’s or anyone’s) feign excitement, maybe even feel it. Heck, some do. And that, too, is a miracle of birth. But babies don’t want to be here. Most of the time, people don’t want to be where they are. That’s how it is with being alive.

Now let’s think about Brian. The newborn.

He spent nine months in a jelly cave — warm, wet, satisfied, fed through a tube straight to the tum tum. Then he got squeezed out like 7 lbs of ketchup through a tiny hole, and into the latex-gloved hands of a stranger.

Then baby Brian’s flailing body got slung onto the boobs of another stranger. Maybe into the arms of a third stranger — his father, Rick, who felt nothing at all except fear.

And that all happens in a few minutes.

Nobody preps the baby for entry. The horror. Dear, God, the horror. And all the lights.

During the first year, the tiny thing is flummoxed , but doesn’t know that word yet. It wants to be back in the womb. Or over there, doing whatever the dog is doing. But it can’t because it can’t move.