Yesterday I was honored to attend the Bodega Bliss baby shower. I teared up as I told her friends and family:
“I have dreamed about attending this baby shower for a long time.”
It did not disappoint.
When I met Emily, one of the first things she asked me was: “How’s Bodega?” I think Courtney’s story and words have touched so many hearts in the ALI world and beyond.
“The Devastation of Pregnancy Loss” was the first “Faces of ALI” portrait I wrote. I had been close friends with Courtney for over a year, and I both saw in person and read on the page about her struggle with RPL. I saw how drained she was, emotionally, physically and financially. So whenever I would see one of those awful empathy-free articles about infertility and loss in the mainstream media, mostly profiling the wealthy and whimsical (and, ugh, don’t get me started on the gross comments!), I would boil over with anger.
Addendum: Not too much has changed, alas: Mel pointed out a crass and classless “opinion” piece about the late Maeve Binchy (published on the day of her funeral, no less!), which questioned whether her childlessness made her a lesser author.
Courtney has navigated this pregnancy, her fifth, with a unique equanimity and serenity. It’s been inspiring to follow.
The shower, like its recipient, was heartfelt and beautiful. Courtney accepted every gift, every gesture of goodwill, every piece of advice with so much love and thankfulness and often tears of joy. Court’s bloggy friends Esperanza and Izzy were also attendees. At one point, Courtney explained how the four of us met. That we were all ALI bloggers. To the testament of her friends and family, no one flinched or blanched. Conversation continued to flow and there was no “EEEK!” reaction.
You know, that noise when the record needle abruptly gets yanked in unoriginal movies?
The sound of the conversation slowly turning to other things in a natural way was a glorious and triumphant moment.
