To see life through the eyes of a baby, to look at the world once again through their curious gaze… In this modern world, where we pass our lives in a constant rush and feel the urge to “do something” the moment we stop for a minute, we have grown so accustomed to doing everything in a hurry. We seem programmed to do everything fast, to run toward distances, and to consume moments without truly living them. Yet, as a tiny baby grows right beside you, they whisper that ancient wisdom you once forgot: learning to slow down.
We learn to wait because there is still time; we learn to show the same things over and over with patience, and to notice how much effort it takes to say certain words. First, we crawl together, and then we take those exciting first steps. To hold their hand and pick them up when they fall, to take them in your arms and hug them when they cry—this is not just raising a baby; it is, in fact, disciplining the impatient adult within ourselves.
To miss them when they are out of sight, to feel a giant sun blooming inside you when they look at you and laugh with that unconditional joy… To keep playing the same games just because they love them, to keep singing those lyrics you’ve already memorized even if you’re bored; to change from one persona to another just to see them smile—this is the purest form of love.
While a baby grows beside you, you actually grow again along with them. As someone who used to hate having their belongings touched or their order disturbed, you find yourself smiling at the tiny fingers messing with your favorite things, looking at the new state of your room with a grin. To have your eyes fill with tears at a new movement they’ve made, thinking “how fast they’ve grown,” or the miraculous surprise of hearing their first word… No matter how exhausting the day has been, the way they look at you and smile when you walk through the door, making all that tiredness vanish like a cloud, is perhaps the greatest reward life offers us.
A Letter To Berre
My Berre, who was born at the beginning of the year and has brightened every day of the last twelve months like a sun; this month marks the anniversary of your entry into our lives. Looking back now, I can’t even imagine what kind of life we had without you. Those years without you seem so boring, so incomplete, and so silent in hindsight. You were so tiny when I first saw you; I realized in that moment that a massive responsibility and meaning had been added to our lives. Raising you in health, love, and freedom became one of our greatest responsibilities in this life.
Time flows both very slowly and with a frightening speed when you are with us. I don’t know how we went from those quiet nights when I stood by your crib reading books while you slept, to these active days where we run after you so you don’t fall and hurt yourself. Those days when I crawled on the floor with you just to teach you how to crawl have given way to the days where I stand proudly behind you while you walk. Never lose that sense of trust from the first time you held my hand and walked; never let go of that hand throughout your life.
I hope life always presents you with beautiful paths. I wish that you never see rocky, dusty, or difficult roads; may your paths always lead to the sea, and may the cool waves always carry you to the places you desire. For my part, I will strive to be by your side whenever you stumble while growing up. But I won’t force you to get up immediately; if you wish, I will let you stay on the ground for a while, and even lie down beside you to stay there with you. I will celebrate you not only when you succeed but also for the effort you show even when you don’t.
Never let your heart get dirty, my little one. Let your heart remain in its purest state so that one day, when you need to choose the right path, you can look to the guidance of your heart. When you fall, learn to stand up on your own so that you don’t wait for a hand to save you in every difficulty; realize your own strength. Know that good things won’t always happen, but never forget that there is goodness even within the bad things. Know that success is not measured by numbers or points, but by your effort. And most importantly, start by loving yourself first so that you don’t wait for others to fulfill your need for love.
Love nature, love people, love life. Love gives birth to beauty. When you look at life with love, you encounter things that reflect your heart. Cultivate beautiful feelings in the garden of your heart so that your life overflows with these beauties. May flowers always grow in the paths you walk and the steps you take.
Happy birthday, my Berre…
“ha” loves you so much…