(b) in Parenthesis: "What's in a name? How about eternity?" Part 1

NOTE: If you choose to read any of my posts, THIS is the one to read.

There’s more supernatural meaning to the birth of my new grandson, Utah Cohen Sewing, than simply the fact that his birthday is 09/09/09. When Victoria and Rick informed me that they were pregnant I knew something was going to be different. Judge for yourself as I offer the last chapter of this story (for now):

· Victoria had told me a few years ago that she and Rick would never have children (over-population, parentless kids abound, the world chaos and she has never been good with needles or pain (in my mind I said “Whoa, experience has taught me never say never; God is a practical joker);

· Less than a month earlier Rick’s grandfather, the most influential man in his life, died suddenly in a car accident where they lived in Utah – he died before Rick could share this glorious news;

· My mother “gently” (early guilt positioning) reminded/encouraged me about Jewish tradition for honoring the dead by naming the newborn with the first letter of the deceased’s name, in this case “M” for honoring my Dad, Murray Kagan, who died five years ago (he adored Victoria and she, him). I “gently” reminded/encouraged my mom that I would share this with Victoria and as always, would leave her decision to her and Rick;

· Victoria and Rick were clear with everyone about the whole name thing: “We are not going to give him a name until after he is born and we have a chance to meet him and get to know him.” Totally contrarian to what most people wanted to hear, and personally I thought it made perfect sense. I never asked once in the whole pregnancy;

· When I recently visited Rick and Victoria in Ashland, Oregon (www.binparenthesis.com September 10 post) she updated me on the name status: “Rick and I have narrowed it down to two names: 1) Utah (for Rick’s grandfather) and 2) Cohen (for our love of God and the bible, and the meaning of the Cohen name associated with the Israelites who were the high priests of the Old Testament.” I paused, then replied, “Those are cool names.” I left it at that;

· Saturday night, September 12, I spoke with Victoria who had come home from the hospital. It was one of those life marker conversations you never forget: a father/daughter moment with Victoria sharing the moments and feelings and pain and joy from the birthing – all the while I was remembering the same moments when she came into the world twenty-eight years earlier. It was like meeting yourself coming the other way down the path.

· At the end of our sharing the experience of his birth, Victoria interjected the following: “Oh, by the way, we gave him his name.” “Really? What is it?” A couple of beats later she replied, “Utah Cohen Sewing.” A wave of chills broke across the shoreline of my body, then I questioned, “Is that the final name. Like, it’s really ‘it’?” “Yes, we actually filled out the papers and filed for the birth certificate.”