An Overwhelming Gift

The Gift: My Son Jorge, his first day.

His Life Story begins in the modern time, July 4, 1972; ending August 12, 1989.

Before the Doctors wheeled Ruth, soon to be Jorge's Mother into the birthing room I spoke with the Doctor. I insisted that he nor any of his staff "NOT to slap the Child on the butt to make him cry", in their concept to start his breathing. For me, that is no way for any Human Being to start Life, with pain. Why these so called educated Doctors have not learned, a gentle hand rubbing the chest or back of the Child will accomplish the same thing. In my eyes, the first feeling experience of a new born should not be pain. I was very adamant about this even when I received looks as if I were crazy. I was told the next day by a Nurse that was caring for Jorge and his Mother, instead of crying out because of a slap she told me she rubbed his chest as I requested. The Child started waving his arms and kicking his legs making Baby sounds and normal breathing. For me as I saw it, a gentler way to ease into Life. I was told the Child was small, five pounds, five ounces. He was a full term Baby and there were no apparent health problems. My Whole Being was overwhelmed with joy and thankfulness on receiving this news. Small does not mean unhealthy!

After a night of struggling and pain by his Mother the birth came about two thirty in the morning; it had been a difficult birth. After about an hour I was escorted into his Mothers' room. Her struggles were apparent; I could see she was completely exhausted, taking hold of my hand her grip was very weak. Lying beside her wrapped in a white blanket, all I could see was a part of his beautiful little face and dark eyes. As I reach out to move the blanket to get a better look at my Son he griped my index finger, I being surprised by the strength of his grip; after all he was only about two hours old. He was looking me in my eyes and yet I do know at that age he had not achieved the ability to focus. This being my first overwhelming encounter with my Son. I do believe all Fathers experience these emotional feeling when first seeing their new born Child, at least I believe they should! A beautiful new Life!

Within minutes his Mother was sleeping and I knew there were Cultural Ceremonies to be performed. We are now living thousands of miles away from My People thus no Clan Mothers, as is the Tradition of My People to do the Birth Ceremony, I knew I was the one who must do the required Cultural Birth Ceremony. I look around, in the hallway was a cart piled high with Baby Blankets, taking one I wrap it around my Son, picking him up and walked from the room. I knew I needed to be in an area of "Nature" and the ability to see the Eastern Mountains as the Sun appears to fulfill this very important Native Ceremony at the time of his first Sun rise. At this time in the morning there were few People in the Hospital. I carry him, wrapped snuggly in the two blankets down the hall. As I reached the front desk a young lady looked up at me, without a word turned back to her paperwork. We walked out the front door, I being surprised how easy it was and thinking someone would stop me at any moment. I do believe it was a very tense moment, with a sigh of relief hurriedly walking to my car in the pre-dawn hours.

We are in the middle of the sprawling Los Angeles area of California and finding as area with a Natural Setting and a view of the Eastern Mountains within this city is few, no time to drive to the Mountains before Grandfather Sun appears over the distant San Gabriel Mountains. I knew of a place called, The Whittier Straights. This being for flood control and a sanctuary for migrating Birds with many trees and a small lake called Legg Lake. When one is inside this small park the trees block all the surrounding housing yet one can see the distant Mountains to the East. Not the perfect spot but because of the timing and our location it was the best I could find. It would be acceptable!

Taking my Son from the car and finding a spot within this park where I could see the Mountains above the trees, I face East in anticipation of the arrival of Grandfather Sun. The dawning was approaching, long yellow clouds spread out over the sky reflecting in the small Lake. Birds with their songs greeting the new dawning and Ducks upon the small Lake, truly a beautiful place within this sprawling city for a Traditional Birth Ceremony for my Som.

As Grandfather Sun appears above the Eastern Mountains, I remove the blankets and lift my Son with  both hands above my head and offer him up to Creator and the Universe with our Traditional Birth Prayer. I become overwhelmed with emotions because of this beautiful Ceremony, the beauty of this small park and lake and most of all to hold this beautiful New Child in my hands. To feel his little heart beating, to feel him breathing, praying him a good and happy Life as tears of overwhelming joy came over me. We sat for a long time, me holding his little body, his small arms waving and much kicking of his legs making his Baby noises, truly a proud and joyful moment for me. I was not thinking of any consequences for my act of taking the Child from the hospital. Only thinking of the Love I felt for this new little Human Being, my Son.

Arriving back at the hospital there was much going on with Police cars at the entrance, I am thinking, what is all this fuss about! As we came through the door a Nurse screams, "There he is"! A police officer pulled his weapon and sternly said, "Give the Child to the Nurse"! I said, "NO! He is my Son"! Two more officers came with guns drawn; I was told very sternly, "Hand over the Child"! I then got to thinking, because of their over reacting and I did not want any harm to come to the Child, I handed my Son to an officer. Two of the officers were really over reacting and did not want to hear anything I had to say. I looked to the young Hispanic Officer who was not holding a gun pointed at me and he took me to the side with a Doctor, they listened to my side of the story. I was explaining my reasoning for removing my Son from the hospital, my traditions, the required Ceremony and how could this hospital allow me to just walk out the door with a Child, did they not have any security should someone come and take a Child that was not theirs? The Doctor telling me I should have spoken to someone before removing the Child. I explained how I did it and the young lady and no others being around and that the Sun waits for no one. They were satisfied, I was told by the Doctor, "Do not take the Child out of the hospital again without telling someone". I told them, "There would be no need; the Cultural obligation had been fulfilled and I would not try to take him again until they had released his Mother and him". Jorge did not hear this Birth Story of his first day until we spoke of it when he was age seven. Jorge told me it was a great Story and was happy the Police did not shoot me.

My beautiful Son, the love and happiness he brought into my life during his very shot Life. He being taken from me at seventeen years, a horrific train accident while traveling in Mexico.