My wife and I found out we were going to have a baby on New Year’s Eve 2008. We were excited of course, but like most we faced the prospect of parenthood with more than a touch of trepidation. For the first time in our lives we were going to be entirely responsible for someone else’s wellbeing.
Once enough time had passed for us to safely fly we booked a trip to Hawaii; we needed to decompress and regain some perspective. We focused on nature and spent much of our time soaking in as much of the clean air and majestic scenery as possible. A few days into the trip we took a long leisurely hike up to several thousand feet of elevation. During the hike we talked about how life would change with a baby and how we might figure out a way to avoid screwing up too badly.
When we’d had enough hiking we sat for a while and simply enjoyed this view in silence. The clouds which had protected us from direct sunlight as we hiked opened slightly to reveal a tiny patch of blue sky. The moment was calming. There was great comfort in the knowledge that we’d be facing any challenges together and that though the journey might be difficult there would be much to take our breath away.
With that we got up, took one last look at the beauty around us and resolutely headed down the mountain toward our future.
