Dayenu

photo credit: Peter Bulanow

Dayenu is a part of the Jewish Passover celebration, a kind of recitation of thankfulness; a psalm of blessing upon blessing, and it was a major impetus behind the naming of our daughter Miriam Linnea.  Today was her baptism, and this was the poem that her mother and I wrote for the occasion.

it would have been enough
our lives were full enough
packed tight with joy and heartbreak
hurtling headlong toward a hopeful future

it was enough

then your Mama came home from work late at night
holding a test she had taken several times
“We’re going to have a baby,” she said

which should have been too much
much more than enough
should have sent your Dad into a tailspin
overwhelmed with numbers, bills, and logistics
tuition, carseats, bottles, VBAC
really expensive (and tiny) jars of food
and baby needs a new pair of shoes

but instead
there was only joy

it would have been enough
our lives were enough,
our family was enough
but then, in an instant, it wasn’t
we were suddenly incomplete
we needed you

you are the velvety sauce on our pork chop
the dark chocolate in our creamy peanut butter

you are the final cap on the roof peak
the curved niche in the straight wall

you are the smooth shift into 5th gear
the sweet dream that smiles at me when I wake

you are the last page of a great book
clean, crisp sheets at the end of a long day

you are the bright cherry on our hot fudge Sundae
the rainbow sprinkles on our fat cupcake

You, dear Miriam
are the saturated sunset at the end of a sunny day
the grand and unexpected wink of God

Welcome, child of grace.