Perfect Miracle

Miracles  

By Walt Whitman

Why, who makes much of a miracle?
As to me, I know of nothing else but miracles,
Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan,
Or dart my sight over the roofs of houses toward the sky,
Or wade with naked feet along the beach, just in the edge of the water,
Or stand under trees in the woods,
Or talk by day with any one I love--or sleep in the bed at night with the one I love,
Or sit at table at dinner with my mother,
Or look at strangers opposite me riding in the car,
Or watch honey-bees busy around the hive, of a summer forenoon,
Or animals feeding in the fields,
Or birds--or the wonderfulness of insects in the air,
Or the wonderfulness of the sun-down--or of stars shining so quiet and bright,
Or the exquisite, delicate, thin curve of the new moon in spring;
Or whether I go among those I like best, and that like me best-- mechanics, boatmen, farmers,
Or among the savans--or to the soiree--or to the opera,
Or stand a long while looking at the movements of machinery,
Or behold children at their sports,
Or the admirable sight of the perfect old man, or the perfect old woman,
Or the sick in hospitals, or the dead carried to burial,
Or my own eyes and figure in the glass;
These, with the rest, one and all, are to me miracles,
The whole referring--yet each distinct, and in its place.

To me, every hour of the light and dark is a miracle,
Every cubic inch of space is a miracle,
Every square yard of the surface of the earth is spread with the same,
Every foot of the interior swarms with the same;
Every spear of grass--the frames, limbs, organs, of men and women, and all that concerns them,
All these to me are unspeakably perfect miracles.


As for our family, we have had a few miracles dealing with family, jobs, and houses. Each with its own story and fond memory. Our most precious miracles have been our three kids who have joined our family in their our due time, bundled in love and pure joy. Each have their own amazing story that started with the love of a birthmother and continues today with the knowledge that we are an eternal family and that so many people love them. I have always known that there is one more miracle for our family and it will soon arrive. Yes, we're getting another baby and we're thrilled...astonished...just completely shocked by the news. When we announced the news to family, everyone was surprised. We had them guess where the baby would be coming from (Russia, Guatemala, China) and no one imagined that it would be coming from me. That's the real surprise. A true miracle. We'll have another reason to be thankful come November twenty fifth.