The Long Day and Night of Labor. May 24, 2017

I watched my best friend cope with the most pain she has ever felt. She was an inspiration. When things started getting intense, I saw a change in her. She moved inward, focusing inside herself, focusing on her breath. I could see this in her face, she moved into another awareness, she went to a place I could not follow. I watched my best friend move through her labor with intensity, courage, dedication and so much love for this baby inside of her. I watched the pain roll over her every few minutes. She breathed through each contraction, releasing the pain in long, deep, quiet moans. She did this for hours and hours and hours, all through the night. The worst part was the relentlessness. After each contraction there was a brief reprieve, but then another one would overtake her. She never lost her cool. She never wept. She was a bad ass, taking one contraction on at a time. She has so much patience in everything she does and I was deeply moved by my best friend's fearlessness and fortitude, perseverance and determination.

I also saw her desperation for a break from the pain that kept coming and coming. It was hard for me to watch my friend hurt. It hurt me to see her in pain.

I got to witness all of this because my friends love me and welcomed me into one their most intimate, most vulnerable experiences. I am blessed. Beyond blessed! I got to witness her labor, her birth, and I also got to witness the incredible kindness and love she and her husband have for one another. He took care of her through everything with extraordinary benevolence and fierce warmheartedness. He worked so hard with her, for her, with compassion and bravery and love. Holding her with each contraction, massaging her back, shoulders, neck, legs. Never leaving her. Always taking care of her. This loving kindness is one of my big takeaways from this experience.

To be honest, this experience is a big deal for me and I feel I have a lot to process. I am so fortunate that I got to do this! With my best friends! And, baby is here!!! (See May 25th)