Blessing the Baby

When my upstairs neighbor invites me to her baby shower, 

                I feel guilty about forgetting to bring in my recycling bins, 

again. I am a bad neighbor, but she’s going to be a mother 

                so she’ll have to practice forgiveness on someone first. Usually, 

I’m a people pleaser. I am a people. I was born 

                with all the people I could ever create, inside me. I try 

to forgive them—their dirty handprints on my skirt, the towels

                left on the bathroom floor. We blessed the baby 

while we tied around our wrists one long, red string. 

                For a moment, the string connected us—wives, mothers, 

and me, neither—until it didn’t, until the scissors severed 

                us, made a bracelet of the blood string. I told the baby, 

I give you this wrist. The world will break all your blessings

                if it wants, and believe me, baby, most of the time, it wants.

Credit

Copyright © 2024 by Diannely Antigua. Originally published in Poem-a-Day on March 1, 2024, by the Academy of American Poets. 

In the “About the Poem” that follows Diannely Antigua’s offering, she admits her initial reluctance to attend, imagining those piled-high presents and inane baby shower games. She describes her after-being-there reaction as “witchy and wonderful.” I would’ve gone with “magical and marvelous,” but I didn’t write the poem; I only wish I had!

Of course as a soon-to-be grandmother this ceremony appeals to me, so I begin to investigate. Where are its roots? You can go to KarmaLuck to learn more than you ever wanted to know with a slick but undeniable merchandising purpose. Just reading it is exhausting, and the flagrant commercial pitch off-putting.

I’m thinking this website may have used AI to generate copy because I did:

“Wearing a red bracelet is a tradition in many cultures and has various meanings depending on the context. Here are a few examples:

1. Kabbalah Red String: In Kabbalistic tradition, wearing a thin red string around the left wrist is believed to ward off misfortune brought about by the “evil eye.” It is also thought to bring good luck, health, and protection.
2. Hinduism: In Hindu culture, a red thread, known as Mauli or Kalava, is tied around the wrist during religious ceremonies and festivals. It is believed to protect the wearer and ward off evil.
3. Buddhism: In some Buddhist traditions, a red string bracelet is worn as a reminder of positive intentions and mindfulness. It is often blessed by a monk and can symbolize protection and blessings.
4. Chinese Culture: In Chinese culture, red is a symbol of good luck and prosperity. Red strings or bracelets are often given as gifts during holidays or special occasions to bring good fortune.
5. Protection: In general, across many cultures, the color red is associated with protection and warding off evil spirits. Wearing a red bracelet can be a personal choice to feel more secure or to symbolize protection.

Overall, the tradition of wearing a red bracelet is deeply rooted in symbolism and cultural beliefs, often related to protection, good luck, and spiritual well-being.”

(Information from ChatGPT3.5)

After an extensive sales assault with a variety of options for purchasing string bracelets, I realize that while I love the idea of a shared intention, a blessing for our newcomer, I don’t want to purchase a symbolic representation. Have I mentioned that I am the least crafty person alive, that despite the elaborate and impressive visions I hold of finished products, the actuality never nears them?

Nonetheless, I head to You Tube and find a tutorial that offers a less threatening version of an “Adjustable Red String Bracelet.” I think, “I can do this, at least I can give it a go.” Will I make one for everyone who shows up at the celebratory Baby-que headed our way in April? I doubt it, but…you never know.