Job and the Hypothesis of the expanding heart

Yesterday, my sister had her third child, Jacobus Lambertus Wouter, we call him Job. He's another perfect baby, 7 pounds, 10 long vingers, lots of dark hair. As i was melting watching him, a hypothesis that had been floating around in me came back to the surface: i think when we see babies, we melt to facilitate the place they will take into our hearts. It is without any effort that we welcome them in our heart and that we love them without loving anyone around us any less. I find it remarkable how stretchy our hearts are and i think the melting helps - like a warm-up. I think we see the innocent and helpless perfection of a baby, and especially when it's family, we are in turn helpless to melt and allow the baby room in our hearts.

When my sister's first, Boet, was born, i was amazed at how quickly he became part of the family. He's not yet 5 and i can't imagine a life without him. His sister Wybine is not yet 3 and irrevocably part of who we are as a family, pretty much since day one. For my sister, they must have been part of the family even longer. The strange thing is, it feels like they always been there, their place with us is that familiar. Our hearts have grown to make room for them and there seems to be no end to how far it can expand further.

So i've melted for this beautiful boy. I've watched him sleep and simply by continuing to breathe he made me incredibly happy. Every move he makes and hiccup he has are works of art. Before i've again coagulated partially he'll be family and it will be unimaginable that he was not here a while back. I have no clue who he is, all i know is that he's part of part of us, and part of me.

Welcome to the world, Job; may your heart melt many times.