Beautiful poem! Made me cry!!!!!

[missjulie]

Hello all,

Just came across this poem, and wanted to share it with all the other preemie mums out there!
Get the tissues ready!!!



How Preemie Moms Are Chosen
(Adapted from Erma Bombeck)

Did you ever wonder how the mothers of premature babies are chosen? Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth, selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, he instructs his angels to take notes in a giant ledger. "Beth Armstrong, son. Patron Saint, Matthew. Marjorie Forrest, daughter. Patron Saint, Celia. Carrie Rutledge, twins. Patron Saint ... give her Gerard. He's used to profanity." Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles. "Give her a preemie."

The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy."

"Exactly," smiles God. "Could I give a premature baby a mother who knows no laughter? That would be cruel."

"But does she have the patience?" asks the angel.

"I don't want her to have too much patience, or she'll drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it. I watched her today. She has that sense of self and independence so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has a world of its own. She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy."

"But Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."

God smiles. "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just the right amount of selfishness."

The angel gasps, "Selfishness?! Is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she will never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't know it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a spoken word. She will never consider a step ordinary. When her child says 'mama' for the first time, she will be witness to a miracle and know it. I will permit her to see clearly the things I see ? ignorance, cruelty, prejudice ? and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."

"And what about her Patron Saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in the air. God smiles.

"A mirror will suffice."

[ladymystikal]

thats lovely
im really upset i didnt write down a poem that was up in our baby unit in high wycombe(now moved to stoke mandeville) it was beautiful and really helped me. im desperatley trying to find someone who may've written it down.

[missjulie]

aw, can you not phone the hospital and ask them if they have a copy?

[evitas]

:) what a lovely poem.
Thank you for sharing it!
x

[Thornelius]

aww thats lovely :)

[ladymystikal]

thank you missjulie didnt think of that!

[Tinschy]

That is beautiful. Really made me' take a lot of sniffs and tears held back!

[backintraining]

This is an old post but think the poem deserves a bump.

[10storeylovesong]

Just cried my eyes out reading this. My little boy was 13 weeks prem and has been home 4 weeks, and now I'm sat waiting for a phone call from Alder Hey for an emergency hernia op.

Needed a boost...