Thirty six years go today I witnessed a miracle. Philip and I watched our daughter, Leah Corinna Katie Shoshana Starshine Cushman (really!), being born. We are here in Portland today celebrating her birthday.
She is a lovely, sweet, intelligent woman and we are so lucky to have her in our lives. But I find when I look at her, it’s like wearing two pairs of glasses at the same time. Through one pair I see the grown-up librarian who loves books and flowers and food and wants to raise chickens in her backyard. Through the other pair I still see the skinny newborn and the toddler eating Cheerios one by one and the little blond kid at the petting zoo, and I want to protect them and keep them from growing up—you know how parents are. Happy birthday, Leah, all you Leahs. I love every one of you.
