“I wonder how the babies born during this tumultuous year will think of the year of their birth someday. As they hear us all talk about the ‘worst year ever,’ will they possibly internalize it? Maybe. Maybe not. I hope not.
I’ve decided to be mindful of how we talk about this year in our family, and to try and balance validating how difficult it is/has been/was with how amazing and wonderful that our littlest joy came to us in 2020. The best part of this difficult year has been the new person who came into the world and into our family.
Here’s the message I hope my baby grows to know.
To my baby born in 2020, there are a few things I need you to know:
You are the brightest spot of what has been a difficult year.
2020 has sucked and it’s not your fault, nor is it your burden.
You are not cursed or bad luck, or in any way a problem because you were born in 2020.
When you hear people say the year you were born was terrible, know this: it has nothing to do with you.
You made 2020 one of the best years of my life.
Yes, there was a pandemic, civil unrest, a bizarre election, a super strange school year, a struggling economy, and people were obsessed with a weird animal abuser and a criminal collector of big cats, but none of this defines who you are.
Whenever I feel overwhelmed by everything in this ‘unprecedented’ year, I have loved the fact I can hold you and for a moment be lost in the wonder which is you.
Though there have been disappointments and heartaches, loss, and grief, you have softened the pain and I have never been disappointed you are here making this world even more beautiful.
You are not responsible for any of the difficulties of 2020 and you are not tied to them.
People will say it was the worst year ever and in many ways this is true, but it is not true for me because 2020 brought you.
I am grateful you were born in this year. Even though it was with some unique challenges, this year will always be special for me because you are one of my greatest joys.
There were aspects of the year you were born I did not love and which brought significant hardship for our family, but you were what made this year better.
In many ways you represent hope, a rainbow of promise, but this doesn’t mean you have to be our hope and live up to some expectation of carrying our healing—our recovery is ours to bear and to commit as our promise to you.
It is not your job to make up for any of the hardships of the year you were born, and it is not your job to make it better for us. You just being here does it already.
2020 brought a lot of change and challenges, but you brought joy, hope, peace, promise, and so much love. You are the beauty amidst the chaos.
I love you. Thank you for being you. I’m so grateful to be your mommy.
Love,
Mommy”
This story was submitted to Love What Mattersby Jessica Martin-Weber of The Leaky Boob. Follow The Leaky Boob on Instagram here. Submit your story here, and be sure to subscribe to our best love stories here.
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