Another Kind Of Love
By June Anderson

Recently, I became aware of a different kind of love. I thought I knew about all kinds of love; after all, my children are grown and married, and I am now retired and as it happens, also a widow. I am familiar with agape love and the best kind, the true love of God, so I was quite surprised when I found this other kind of love.

It happened on March 1st at three o'clock in the afternoon. My son had called me shortly after midnight that morning to tell me he and his wife had a baby and that everything was fine but that he was exhausted and was going home to get some sleep and that, oh yes, it was a girl and her name was Sarah Marie. Having had only two sons myself, the thought of a girl seemed so exciting. But at 1 o'clock in the morning, you can't call all your friends! So I prayed and thanked God for the blessed gift He had given to our family. Sleep was definitely out of the question. "A Girl!" Just the thought of her posed all kinds of ideas in my head; we would make cookies and I would sew little dresses for her. We would go shopping and to the zoo. I didn't even know how big she was! I guess it would be awhile before we would make those cookies! I made up little songs with the name "Sarah Marie" in them and hummed them to myself. How lovely her name sounded on my lips. "Sweet Sarah" I thought! It was about that time that I realized I was a grandmother! How wonderful! I was certainly old enough. I had friends who were grandmothers at 35. I decided I would be called "Granny" rather than grandmother. Yes, I would be Sarah's Granny.

Later that morning, my son called to say I could visit Sarah Marie and my daughter-in-law at the hospital. I was there with gift bags in tow. My daughter-in-law looked wonderful, considering she had just undergone surgery, and there, in the little glass bassinette, was my granddaughter, fast asleep, her fingers wrapped in the little t-shirt she had on. She had wisps of hair on top of her head and more hair on the sides and back - beautiful dark hair. Her mom said her eyes were blue. Her legs were curled up next to her butt like a little frog, as she hadn't stretched out yet. But there was this beautiful pink little face with an upturned nose, just like her mom's, sleeping so peacefully. She looked like an angel.

I had never seen a baby so beautiful before. She was so perfect. I just stared at her. She was indeed perfect. I hugged her mom and asked if I could hold Sarah Marie. She gave me permission and gently, ever so gently, I picked up this little bundle of blankets with Sarah in it and cradled her to me. My heart swelled and tears came to my eyes. My lips said, "Thank you God" as I experienced a love I had never known before. We sat and I took in her every feature. She had creases in her neck, and her little ears had so many little folds. I kept praising God for what He had made. He knew the hairs on her head before all time. I was holding one of His miracles and she felt so good.

Thank you God for teaching me yet another kind of love.