The hardest part wasn’t the waiting. It was not knowing why.
When my son Elias and his wife Maren had their first baby, I expected to be one of the first to meet her. Instead, I sat in the hospital lobby for hours, watching everyone else—Maren’s parents, her sister, even her friends—go upstairs while I stayed behind.
I tried to be understanding. “They’ll call me when they’re ready,” I told myself. But as the minutes ticked by, doubt crept in. Had I done something wrong?
Finally, Elias came to find me. “Maren’s struggling,” he admitted. “She’s afraid she’s not enough for the baby. And she’s scared of being judged—especially by you.”
His words hit me like a punch. Had I really made her feel that way?
I could have insisted on seeing the baby. I could have been hurt or angry. But instead, I chose to listen. “Tell her I’m here when she’s ready,” I told Elias. “No expectations. Just love.”
For the next week, I gave them space. I dropped off food, cleaned their house, left little notes reminding them they were doing great. And when Maren finally invited me over, the moment I held my granddaughter, I understood.
This wasn’t about me. It was about a new mom finding her footing. And sometimes, love means stepping back so someone else can step forward.
