So the baby testing goes on. Between watching the monitor to see what appears to be a baby waving (hey sonograms take some imagination if you want to make the most of them) and heart beat measurements (138 at last count, a strong heart) sometimes listening is as important as watching. Our most recent visit was exciting to watch (baby in 3D), but the listening truly made it an event.
Midway through the baby measurements the technician said something that captures the entire experience. He said that the first thing they see is the heart beat and everything grows out around the heart. Isn’t that what life is really all about.
The baby grows out around the heart and it is the heart that really makes the person who they become. So as our little baby girl is growing around her heart, we are thinking about how we can help her grow once she is born. How to teach her to lead with her heart and not always with her head? How to make sure she doesn’t get hurt becoming the good person we hope she will be? Now this thought is something to fear.
In my life the better decisions I have made seem to be the ones I have made leading with my heart. Loves, forgiveness, kindness, caring, self-sacrifice, giving all come from the heart. They are the characteristics that make people great and that bring them love. These are the character traits we all wish we displayed 24/7 and they are also the ones our fast paced lives often leave behind. So how do you help a young and impressionable mind understand their value?
Lead by example is the mantra in the work place. As a parent-to-be, I am hoping that the mantra works here as well. If we give her a loving environment, cuddle her and help her give back to others as she grows up, hopefully she will become a beautiful young woman. We are actively trying this with our dog and it seems to be working, she is a sweetie. So we will lead with our hearts and give it our best try.
We start with a heartbeat and our lives end when that heart stops beating. It’s what it beats for in all the years in between that make life wonderful. Here’s to hoping that our little girl’s heart beats for all the right reasons and that her parents help her enjoy the beat of life.
