Judy Waldman
Greeting cards seem to be a relic of the past and maybe that’s a good thing. After bringing our precious baby home from the hospital and getting her all set up in her new crib, I put my feet up and started going through the mail that had arrived during my extended hospital stay. The bills got tossed aside quickly for further procrastination, but then there was the hand-addressed envelope that looked like a greeting card. I excitedly opened the envelope hoping maybe there was a baby gift check enclosed.
It was a sympathy card with a scrawled note saying, “Sorry to hear about your baby.”
While I was still roiling through the mental gyrations of how to cope with the unexpected news of our daughter having been diagnosed with Down syndrome, I was devastated to realize the reaction of a loving cousin who meant well. Is that how our baby was to be perceived? I didn’t need sympathy, I needed support!
While I did receive support and many gifts, that one card was permanently imprinted in my mind…and my heart.
While words can be unintentionally cruel, it is always safe to wish a hearty Mazel Tov on the birth of a new baby!