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A Note To My Grandson

January 4, 2024 | Pierre Tristam | 21 Comments

Felix at T plus a few minutes after 7 Phoenix time this morning, 9 a.m. Palm Coast time.
Felix at T plus a few minutes after 7 Phoenix time this morning, 9 a.m. Palm Coast time.

Well dear Felix, this is the day chosen for you–as so much has been since before your conception, as almost everything will be for the next dozen years, as most things will be after that–to be born into this, not quite our world (though so many of us presume it to be), but the world chosen for us as it was for you, by that mystery hand we should hope never to solve (would we want to be that disappointed by finding it out?) if there even is a hand. You arrived as scheduled rather than on schedule.




So much of what surrounds you right now is not random because it shields you from so much that is, though for all the wonderful uncertainties you are born to a mother and father who will make things a little more certain for you, at least for a while. They made you, after all–of what, from where, we still don’t know, but the not knowing is the wonder of it. We might as well revel in what wonders we have. They even chose the day and time of your arrival: 7 a.m. local time, 9 a.m. your maternal grandparents’ time. That should tell you something about your OCD of a mother, who has nothing on your grandmother GiGi in that regard.Photographer Fouad Haddad, born on this day in 1930. He died in 1976. (© FlaglerLive)

I should note that January 4 was not entirely coincidental. It could have been the 6th, it could have been the 3rd or the 5th. When your mother and I were talking about it, I mentioned that January 4 is the day your great grandfather Fouad was born, in 1930 if I recall. That’s him, to the right, when he was the young man I never knew. Your Mom thought that a great day to be born. And there you have it: one of your first of innumerable little connections you will be made of, threading through you like history’s DNA.

Your parents will be all the world you need for enough time, enough years, that by the time you discover America–every child born on this continent is a Columbus at one point or another, discovering this world as unknowingly as the original Columbus did, but not, let us hope, as meanly–you will want to risk and explore just as you did the universe of your crib or the folds in your your mommy’s burnous, or the crumb in the shape of Texas on your bib. You will never stop until and beyond the day, a mere few days’ hence judging from personal experience, you will have grown up at the speed of light and run off to the Pacific or the Canadian Rockies or the Mountains of Nepal to make your own world of what will be left of the one we call ours, assuming we have not entirely demolished it for you.




I imagine waterlogged Florida will not be on your itinerary by then, nor, most likely, will we, your GiGi and me: our flash in this pan will have gone out by then, which is just as well: the old, you’ll notice, tend unnecessarily to overstay long after we’ve stopped being interesting or useful. It’s your uncle Luka you’ll want to hang out with, whatever universe he’s in: he’s the fun one.

You are our first grandchild so this will be a discovery of our own too, distances notwithstanding: you’re not next door, but you’ll grow up in a world where distances are not what they once were–not when you can see and hear us on your Mom’s latest iPhone (you will notice this about her: she gets the latest model before it’s off of Apple’s design desk) at the swipe of an app, as so much of your world will be seen these early years. Don’t get too lost in those two dimensions, where most people live nowadays for lack of dimensions of their own. There’s something to the folds of that burnous, that Texan crumb or cribbish memories.

Lucky for you, you’ll not know about the future or the past for a while, and for a while you’ll stop time for us too, as our future becomes yours and our world, the one we can call our own, will be the one you pearl every hour to the whorls of your oyster.

–Jeddo Pierre Tristam

Sadie and Felix, photographed by Rigo, new Dad.
Sadie and Felix, photographed by Rigo, new Dad.
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Paige says

    January 4, 2024 at 10:39 am

    Congratulations and welcome Felix. Good job everyone. Lol. Job?

    1
  2. Judith Michaud says

    January 4, 2024 at 10:52 am

    Congratulations to all! This is such an exciting time ! Watching my grandchildren grow is the light of my life! Enjoy your world, Felix !

    1
  3. John F Pollinger says

    January 4, 2024 at 11:07 am

    So beautiful and poignant. Congratulations to the entire family.

    1
  4. Dennis C Rathsam says

    January 4, 2024 at 11:11 am

    Congradulations to you and your wife. I hope many more to follow. Greatest feeling in the world I remember as if it was yesterday, time goes by so fast… mines 6 now, where did the time go? Take it all in, Enjoy! they grow up too fast.

    1
  5. Robin says

    January 4, 2024 at 11:16 am

    What a beautiful welcome letter! Congratulations!

    1
  6. Tina Jeffe says

    January 4, 2024 at 11:26 am

    He’s just perfect! Congratulations! Get ready for the best time of your life, because grandchildren are a treasure.

    1
  7. jake says

    January 4, 2024 at 11:44 am

    Congrats on your new grandson. Good way to start the year.

    1
  8. Jean MacAllister says

    January 4, 2024 at 11:52 am

    Congratulations. Welcome to the world, Felix.
    I have loved and continue to see them grow, 5 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren. 30 to 9 months old.
    Cherish each moment.

    1
  9. hippy says

    January 4, 2024 at 11:56 am

    Congrats!! I know the joy of the first grandchild. Enjoy every single moment!!

    1
  10. Ben Hogarth says

    January 4, 2024 at 12:24 pm

    Congrats and best wishes to you all.

    1
  11. Gina Weiss says

    January 4, 2024 at 1:03 pm

    Congratulations Pierre to you and yours, what a beautiful welcome. You have
    taken on a new role which cannot be criticized by others, just pure joy.

    1
  12. Mary Ann Suwinski says

    January 4, 2024 at 3:26 pm

    Congratulations on your first grandchild. My one and o my grandson lives in Oregon. We see each a few times a year when my daughter comes to visit. Thank you Lord for technology because we FaceTime every day. I know it’s not the same but it’s wonderful to talk to him from a baby now going on 4. Start early with FaceTime.

    1
  13. joe Freitas says

    January 4, 2024 at 7:05 pm

    What a great letter to your Grandchild , You have been Blessed.

    1
  14. Kat says

    January 4, 2024 at 8:41 pm

    Congratulations all around, what a beautiful, perfect little human being! I thoroughly enjoyed your poignant welcome letter to him.

    1
  15. Jane Kranz says

    January 4, 2024 at 8:41 pm

    Congratulations! There is nothing like the joy of grandchildren.

    1
  16. Joni says

    January 5, 2024 at 6:29 am

    Thanks for sharing this momentous occasion with us. Felix is already so loved. Can’t wait to hear about his milestones and accomplishments. Congratulations to the whole family. XOXO

    1
  17. D w Ferguson says

    January 5, 2024 at 6:55 am

    Congratulations Pierre, your pride is evident & style a bit ” softened ” by this new life…One’s first Grandchild is truly life changing…

    1
  18. Laurel says

    January 5, 2024 at 9:17 am

    Congratulations on your grandchild. I hope he grows up in a world where all prejudices are far behind and “… the old, you’ll notice, tend unnecessarily to overstay long after we’ve stopped being interesting or useful.” and, once again, the lives, and accomplishments, are not wiped out with the swoop of a pen.

    1
  19. Bill C says

    January 5, 2024 at 10:17 am

    Congrats Pierre Felix looks like a future writer. (and so adorable!)

    1
  20. What Else Is New says

    January 5, 2024 at 3:29 pm

    Congratulations to you Pierre, as well as Cheryl, Sadie and the new Papa. What a blessing to have Felix in your life! Uncle Luka will love his new nephew enjoying entertaining him with a violin solo. Great days are ahead!

    1
  21. Kristen says

    January 6, 2024 at 11:55 pm

    Congratulations!!!! There is nothing better❤️ got my first grandson on Christmas Eve!

    1

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