ALL THE BE’S by KL
They had practiced the routine several times, grab the bag, get in the car and drive safely but quickly to the hospital. The bag was packed with all the essentials including What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Everything was moving so quickly—until the first four hours of labor passed and there was no end in sight. Katie didn’t know if it was the lack of sleep, the medication or the fact that soon she would be a mother, but she was starting to become nostalgic. Her mother’s phrase, “all the be’s” popped into her head. What were “all the be’s?”
“Be good.” She remembered back to preschool, her first experience of being away from her mother. There is a picture of her this day which helps bring back this memory. She was standing at her new cubby, tears forming in her eyes. The teacher is eager to capture this moment, so Katie quickly tries to wipe her eyes…too slow, the picture captures her with her hand at her mouth. A forever memory of her feeling of sadness as her mom drives away. But before her mom pulls out of the parking lot she hugs Katie and says, “Be good.”
“Be brave.” Fast forward to 8th grade graduation. Such a different girl than that little innocent girl that cried as her mother drove away from the pre-school. It was a tough year for Katie, but she had pulled through. They had a contest for who would be giving speeches at 8th grade graduation. Katie spilled her struggles out in her speech. The teachers heard her honesty, her vulnerability and her inspiration and she was chosen. As she left the house the day of graduation, she wore a modest brown flowered dress and practiced her speech while eating breakfast. She expressed some qualms to her mother about reading in front of everyone. Her mom eased her anxieties and said, “Be brave.”
“Be patient.” She had followed her passion. Ever since her struggles in 8th grade she knew what she wanted to be when she grew up, a nurse. And here she was, walking up the stairs to the fifth floor to her first nursing job. Coming in with all the skills from her four years in college still just didn’t feel like enough. Before the call to her mother, she thought she lost her direction. Why did she want the responsibility of being a nurse? What were the qualities in her that made her think she could do this? After one of her mother’s infamous pep talks she concluded with, “Be patient.”
“Be faithful.” Here it was, her “big day”, the day every girl dreams of. As she was getting ready in the bridal suite at the church, her mom helped her dress. That white gown zipped up perfectly and she was preparing to walk down the aisle with her dad. Before she started her walk down the church aisle, her mom whispered to her, “Be faithful.”
All these memories made the time she was in labor pass by. It was now the moment, the first skin to skin contact, her husband stood over the bed smiling at her. The nurse looked over too and asked, what are you naming your new baby girl. Katie thought about it, she thought about all the Be’s, she looked up at the nurse, smiled and said, “Beatrice.” Then she whispered to her daughter, “be loving.”