Hey there, Jack

This finally happened. On September 7, 2026 Jack entered the world of his parents and his grandparents. (That’s us.) Of course he was already present; ask his mother, who carried him through nine months of occasional discomfort and the typical events of labour and delivery. As the son of a redhead, there were other challenges accompanying his journey. But he’s here now, de rigeur, and we enjoyed a few of his first visible days with his parents, Hannah and Marc. What fun. To be  continued . . .

It is now decades since Kathie and I were new parents of a son and a daughter, both now in their mid-thirties. We have forgotten how much there is to learn and what a lot of work it takes to orient a newborn to space, time, and to life itself — Fluids in and fluids out; gas and solids; cuddle and comfort;  baths and bouncing. It’s a lot for new parents to discover, to problem solve, to share in the chores and the cherishing. For us grandparents it’s absolutely marvellous to watch and participate in.

Let’s get this out of the way at this point. He is an absolutely gorgeous baby. I know that most grandparents say this, but with Jack, it’s “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” He has pudgy cheeks, the cutest little hands, and a brownish hairline. It is so special to cuddle him, inserted in the crook of my right arm, a veritable exchange of heat and wisdom. I liken the connection  to wireless charging of my phone; as we cuddle I transfer what I can of history, wisdom, humour, and experience. Gotta start early, and update regularly.

The picture above is very much a grandparent’s point-of-view image. No facial features on display here. There is so much legitimate concern about posting images of children online — at any time — but especially now given the insidious presence of AI technology. (I avoid AI at every opportunity as it threatens safety, security, and eventually stability.) The anonymous image above draws me in, from the softly focused hair, over the stubby nose, to the little hands with which Jack will engage the world with all his senses —  sight, smell, taste, sound, and touch. As my sight has always been less than ideal, and as I now struggle with sound, I deal with sensory loss. His sensation will only grow, sensationally. Kathie and I continue to watch with pleasure as his parents extend their own relationship to include a third party, their baby, their son, their very selves expressed in a marvellous, new creation. We wish them so much happiness and good.

Speaking for myself, I am thrilled they decided to have children. It’s a real question these days. When Kathie and I welcomed Hannah and Cameron into our world, we remember simpler and more straight-forward times. There was no doubt in our minds thirty years ago that we wanted children in our life. Now, given geopolitical challenges, climate related anxiety, and technological threats to life-giving community at all levels, their remit will be to protect Jack from all that steals life, and prepare him, in time, to find his own way, in community and in hope.

We look forward to sharing in this beautiful work as we are able and invited to do so. We can’t wait till our next visit, whether in Nelson or in Summerland. For Kathie and me, these are still early days. Our relationship with Jack has only just begun. Watch this space.

Love you Jack

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