Dear Harper
By: Becca Carey
Tags: Baby, Family, Opinion, Love, Harper Lee

Welcome to the world little mockingbird

Dear Harper,

What a world you have woken up into. A world consumed by chaos, forest fires and famine, one step down from a religious plague and maybe one and a half down from a dystopian zombie apocalypse. You’ll find that ‘adults’ will complain that every year is worse than the year before but for the most part, that isn’t true. Most of the time, we lose perspective when bad things happen to us and we forget about all the good things that are simultaneously going on alongside them. However, let me be the first to tell you that in the case of 2020, they aren’t lying. We haven’t had the best starts honestly and I’m sure you will grow up hearing about it endlessly so that you will feel like you were there, well I suppose you were.

Adults will tell you that the news is this depressing machine that churns out all of the horrendous acts going on all over the world while we watch mindlessly, day after day, as nothing changes. I’m sorry to say that there will be times in your life that you feel that way and sometimes the bad parts will be all you will be able to see. Truth be told, I feel that way all the time, especially now. We can’t stop ourselves from feeling this way, life and the world we live in can be this unpredictable force that doesn’t always feel kind. However, just because you don’t see it, doesn’t always mean that it isn’t there. What did I say about perspective? The bad things in the world do not negate all of the good. This virus you were born into is terrible, it has claimed so many lives, indiscriminately and mercilessly. Nonetheless, there are times that it has brought the very best out of humanity. By pausing the world, creativity and kindness have slipped through that depressing machine. The streets have been filled with music and clapping, gratitude for people like your dad who have been there, helping us through the dark times. It has shown the depth of human kindness and that no matter how difficult a situation gets, people will ultimately band together even if that means right now that they have to stay apart. Finally, it has let us regain perspective. We have taken a step back and re-evaluated what is important to us; family, friends, protecting our planet and standing up for the people and creatures that live here. It has refocused and reminded us not to take the beautiful and wonderful things that happen on a daily basis for granted. In other words, not to take moments like this without acknowledging how miraculous they are. Since you are that beautiful and wonderful thing that has come into our lives when things could not have felt more bleak.

I have caught myself thinking about the kind of woman you are going to grow up to be and the kind of things you are going to grow up to do. I think about all of the amazing things that you are going to learn and the incredible experiences that you will have. You have a whole lifetime ahead of you to enjoy it all and I cannot wait to witness you doing so.

Your name sake said it best really, Harper Lee, the author of one of the most thought-provoking and moving novels of the 20th century wrote that:

“People generally get what they look for, and hear what they listen for”.

Let me wish that you only see joy and kindness and that you only hear love and mockingbirds.

Waiting impatiently with love,

Becca x