I had the honor of watching all of six of my children being born.  I also assisted in the “breathe…breathe” process but I’ve never been sure that was much help.  Those six moments have been the most memorable and moving moments of my life.  Witnessing a miracle shapes a person (eventually) and gives a sense of perspective placing insignificant “things” in their place.

After Christy’s birth in 1974 and after making a Cursillo retreat, Marci and I became friends with a family in the parish who was also a young family and very active in the church.  We bonded quickly, spent hours together talking, singing, working and parenting.  Charlene was pregnant shortly after Olivia was born (if I remember correctly) so I asked Bill if he was going to assist in the delivery.

Bill was a giant of a man in size and heart with a gentle spirit and a great sense of humor.  When I asked about being in the delivery room he immediately repelled saying, “Oh God.  I could never go in for that.”  I tried pressing him on it but he just didn’t think he could handle it.

On the night their newest baby was born; something happened in the delivery sequence that caused Bill to expect that the baby was born when in fact it hadn’t and, he walked into the room just as the baby “crowned”.  He saw the whole thing by accident.

When I asked him about it he paused, smiled and said, “God makes everything so beautiful.”  He paused again and repeated it.  I could see he was glowing from his first experience of life being born before his very eyes; a look that was peaceful, reflective and quietly joyful.

I thought a great deal about what Bill had said and in a quiet moment alone I began hearing about other things that God makes so beautiful; playful things, everyday things; everyday things…like birth.