Love, Life, and Hurricanes

On September 2, 1999, a tropical wave exited the coast of Africa. Far away to the Northwest a young man and his wife were visiting a Doctor that specialized in high risk pregnancies. The mother-to-be was a petite woman and had stayed petite throughout the thirty-six weeks of carrying a developing child in her womb. This concerned the Doctors. Tummies are supposed to grow big when you are this far along on the course to reach the 40 weeks of a full-term pregnancy. The Doctors had suggested a milkshake each night. The father-to-be greatly enjoyed this suggestion, and eagerly joined his wife in this nightly ritual as an act of solidarity. His tummy grew, but the woman’s belly barely changed. The soon-to-be first time parents were a little nervous, but somehow knew everything would be OK. They supported each other and were deeply in love.

Meanwhile, the tropical wave made its way across the Atlantic Ocean. Two other strong forces of nature were plotting a devious plan as they awaited the warm tropical wave’s arrival.  The other forces, known as anti-cyclone and deep convection, had been battling as the tropical wave approached. The tropical wave had just wanted to peacefully glide across the ocean spreading warmth and peace in its path. But anti-cyclone and deep convection saw an opportunity to wreak havoc by combining their strength with the fast traveling wave of warm air. They could ride this wave eastward to warmer waters which would help them gain strength. Elements of nature longed to be named, and the only way to earn it is to gain strength. On September 7, they earned a name. The combined forces were called Floyd the Tropical Depression. But as with many forms of energy that live and swirl about on this planet, they were not satisfied by this achievement of gaining a name. They wanted more power. They moved further eastward soaking up more and more strength from the warmer waters that they had made their way to.

The child-expecting-couple also had names.  They also had plotted to create a new and powerful force that would bear a name itself. They had not yet heard about the approach of Floyd who had been raised to the category of tropical storm based on the speed of her winds. The couple had already chosen a name for the life force that their love would give birth to. It was a name that was empowered with a meaning that can only result in the development of a strong individual full of love and wisdom. In the language of the Hebrews, the name translated as G-d answered. The name itself implied that the parents had asked G-d himself to intervene in their lives and help them bring a new life into this world. The name expressed a confidence that G-d would honor their profound request. While Floyd was being upgraded to the status of hurricane, the baby had been hiccupping away for thirty –seven weeks in her mother’s tummy. The hiccups were reassuring to the young couple. It was as if the tiny life knew that they needed to know that she was OK and sent out little fluttery signals to help them remain calm. The Doctors had said that it was important that the mother not have the baby until week 38, when her lungs would be fully developed.

The beautiful mother’s tummy had still not grown as much as the Doctors had wanted. The baby hiccupped and said, “I’m fine.” She was cozy and snug in her Mommy’s small tummy. But this did not stop the Doctors’ nervous glances at each other. As week 38 approached, the baby’s wise grandfather had been watching the atmospheric conditions. He knew that pressure systems could influence peoples’ lives in unexpected ways. He had lived a long time and had witnessed many hurricanes. The expecting couple had also felt the effects of Hurricane Hugo which had passed directly through the Queen City where they lived, deeper into the mainland than most hurricanes traveled. There had been power failures, trees had fallen, houses had been destroyed, and roads had been blocked. The Grandpa-to-be became worried and warned every one of the approaching storm. It was on a similar path to Hugo and all members of the family began to get nervous. What if Hurricane Floyd came to the Queen City? What if the drop in atmospheric pressure caused the labor cycle to begin before week 38 arrived? And what if the roads were blocked and the hospital couldn’t be reached.

On the day that week 38 arrived, Floyd was hesitating just off the coast of South Carolina as if she could not decide where to make landfall. The expectant parents went to the Doctor for a regular weekly check-up. They were happy that the baby was still just fine and sending out sonic signals via hiccup. But the Doctor was worried about the approaching storm. She had also survived the wrath of Hugo. After the check-up, she said that she did not want to risk the arrival of the storm and with it the chance that we might not be able to get to the hospital. She announced with a big smile, “Go home and pack your bags and check-in at the hospital. You are going to have a baby today!” The expectant parents were very excited and the Doctors cautioned that the new baby would barely be bigger than a peanut, but that she would be fine since they had made it to the 38-week mark.

They went to the hospital. The labor inducement methods took much longer to work than expected. Hurricane Floyd finally made up her mind and moved further east before making landfall. It was a very large storm though and its effect on air pressure and wind were felt in the Queen City, but most of its havoc was wreaked upon the cities, barrier islands, and capes far to the east. 

The baby named “G-d Answered” was born on September 15 just as the storm moved back out to sea never to return. The cold waters of the Northern Atlantic Ocean snuffed out the hurricane by starving it of warmth, much like lack of oxygen lack of oxygen starves a flame. But G-d had answered and brought warmth and light into the new parents lives in the form of a little-larger-than-peanut-sized baby. All the forces of nature had aligned in the perfect storm that gave them the most precious gift. A daughter.

What makes a baby grow to be the individual they will become? This child grew to be a kind, compassionate, smart, loving, loyal, and beautiful young woman. She took on the best qualities of each parent and was destined for greatness. It is widely known that by age seventeen she had already accomplished greatness. She became a passionate reader, artist, and scholar. She was a loyal friend. And she was loving of and loved by her younger sister. Did the hurricane winds stir the air and dust in such a way to help create a such an extraordinary person? Her father thinks it did. But her mother and father know deep in their hearts that their love for each other played a role as well. But most of the credit for this child’s accomplishments belong to her own strength and conviction.

The moral of this story is that if you want to have a daughter as wonderful as the cosmos itself, make use of the forces of nature and make a request of the creator of all things. Time the delivery of the baby during hurricane season. Drink milkshakes. Create life from a place of deep love. But just remember, there will only ever be only one child like this one. She was born to be special and the conditions that created her were unique, maybe even mystic. She is one of a kind and always will be. And the world will be forever a better place to live because she has walked upon it.