Mother and Child

Last week I became a grand uncle, the first time I became a "grand-" anything ("great uncle" is the more common usage according to Ngram). The occasion is no big deal to many of my contemporaries who are already grandparents; nevertheless, it's another milestone on the Great Path.

Another comment, commonplace and perhaps trite: this is the time of the year when we reflect upon our lives, somberly remembering those whom we have lost. A December baby brightens the entire outlook. An irrational reaction, but there it is.