The Perfect Moment...

As time passes, each and every one of you will experience a perfect moment. Ironically, it may be years later when you realise that, looking back, it was perfect, and in every way. We all have stresses in our lives which are constantly (or so they seem) on our minds. But occasionally, we forget them - even if just for a moment. In the 28 years I've wandered this planet (well part of it), I have had one such moment. I truly hope, and believe, that I will experience more, but this is mine...

2am, 11th January 1997 - South Tyneside District Hospital.

My firstborn son, Jack, had come into the world a few short hours ago. I was a Dad! I was exhilarated and terrified at the same time. Would I be good enough? Good enough to be a REAL Dad, not just a guy who thinks his part of the parenting process ends somewhere between rolling off, and falling asleep. Would I be there for my son, when he needed me. Would I have more important things to do? As it happens, I have since found out that Yes, I am good enough. I do everything I can for him, whenever it is needed, irrespective of what I have planned, or what I need to cancel. If Jack needs me, I'm there. I am proud to claim to be "A good Dad", and proud of the fact that no matter what anyone else has to say about me, when they see us together, they can't argue with that one statement. "Colin is a good Dad".

Anyway, back to the moment...

As I said, my son had been born a few hours previously, and I had spent a little time with him, and with his mother. They had both gone off to get some (well earned) sleep, and I was headed for home.

I called for a taxi, and went to stand outside to wait for it. As I stood there, I couldn't help but notice that there was no noise, and I mean none. It was completely silent - being the middle of the night, there was no birdsong, no traffic noise, the Accident & Emergency seemed to be having a rare and probably very welcome quiet time, so no Ambulances, and the air was still, so there wasn't even a whisper of wind. I can't remember silence quite like it before or since, it was quite simply complete.

As I stood, looking up into what seemed to be a cloudless sky, gazing at the twinkling stars overhead, I noticed a couple of tiny flakes of snow falling through the illumination of a street light. It was the first snowfall of the year, and of that Winter.

That was my perfect moment. My head was too filled with thoughts of my beautiful partner and son to worry about anything else. I was enveloped in a blanket of silence, and the first flakes of snow started to fall. It was quiet, beautiful, and, well, perfect.

Since this event, I am no longer with Jack's mother, but I am proud of the fact that we are still damned good friends. We were friends before we became lovers, but the friendship we had then pales in comparison with what we have now, and what I truly hope we will always have.

Stephanie Millward, I love you now, and will forever. You gave me a perfect son, and you are, and will hopefully remain, a wonderful friend.

Colin M. Ormsby