{"id":6536,"date":"2013-08-04T13:09:16","date_gmt":"2013-08-04T17:09:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/beginnersheart\/?p=6536"},"modified":"2013-08-04T13:09:16","modified_gmt":"2013-08-04T17:09:16","slug":"laps-luxuries-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/beginnersheart\/2013\/08\/laps-luxuries-love.html","title":{"rendered":"laps, luxuries, love –"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"image\"<\/a><\/del>My grandson slept for three hours in my lap yesterday afternoon. Slept my legs into their own nap. Slept through phones ringing, dogs barking, and the afternoon sun waning. Wrapped snugly in his swaddling cloth, he might have been another era’s baby, proof against technologies and innovations.<\/p>\n

One woman, an infant, a cloth. Nothing luxurious, unless you count the intangibles. Full belly. Safety. Love. Cool air on a very hot day. Something so few babies in our world have.<\/p>\n

My son says I am not allowed to tell depressing stories to point out how grateful we all should be. Okaaaaay! But I am<\/em> grateful. And I’m grateful that my grandson slept for three hours, unbroken by the grievances of most of the world’s infants. He isn’t a victim of mosquitoes bearing diseases, or water bearing bacteria. His limbs are straight. His head is only heavy with sleep. He has two parents, both with jobs and health care benefits. He has four living grandparents, each besotted with him. His mother is kind, generous, intelligent, and adores him. His father isn’t off fighting a war, but right here to hold him. The world’s best baby-sitter.<\/p>\n

And this specific grandmother is the most grateful of women. For the privileges a first-world household & family offer her first grandchild.<\/p>\n

Today, as you go about your day, look around. You don’t have to think of third-world tragedies. But a ‘thank-you’ for running water (hot AND cold!), air conditioning, safe food (and enough of it!), a roof, and reasonably clean sheets… I”m just sayin’ ~ Life is good. And worth noticing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My grandson slept for three hours in my lap yesterday afternoon. Slept my legs into their own nap. Slept through phones ringing, dogs barking, and the afternoon sun waning. Wrapped snugly in his swaddling cloth, he might have been another era’s baby, proof against technologies and innovations. One woman, an infant, a cloth. 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