On this day one year ago, I was in a very dark place. I had just miscarried what I thought would be our rainbow baby. A rainbow baby is a joyful term representing a baby who is born after a loss--the rainbow after the storm. I was honestly not sure if I would ever find the courage to hope for yet another rainbow; the thought of weathering another storm crushed me. Initially, I wanted to just give up and blame myself. If I could have told myself back then that in a year's time, I'd be nine months pregnant with a very good chance of giving birth to a healthy baby, I don't think that I would have believed myself. But now, I am full term, full of excitement, and full of life. It's surreal and magical.
I see that I had to walk this hard path in order to learn that control is an illusion, but trust is essential in the face of that illusion. I learned how to hope again after being let down, and how to cope with the ebb and flow of that very fragile hope. I learned that I can observe, choose, and change my reactions. Though I have a supportive partner, family, and friends, I learned that I need to take on that responsibility to love and care for myself, by myself. I tried to be present with pain, fear, and joy without feeling shame. I have my weak moments, but today I feel strong.
At any point in the next few weeks, I could go into labor, and then the rest is up in the air. I choose not to see this quickly approaching, unpredictable, wild experience with anxiety, fear, and a need for control. I will harness the strength, hope, love, and trust that I've been practicing over the past year. It still takes some courage to muster up these words, but I know that no matter what happens, it will be empowering, all-consuming, and totally worth it.
