Because three dimensions aren’t enough.
When I was a teenager, my parents used to say that when they looked at me, they still saw the baby and toddler I used to be. That made no sense to me. How could they see that? There I was, standing tall, plain as day: a teenager. Quite grown up.
As my life went on, though, I understood. My sister calls it 4D love. In that, you love someone as they are right now in our three-dimensional world, but also throughout time (the fourth dimension).
During the Pandemic, my 15-year-old niece was having a rough time, as many teenagers did. And, as with many teenagers, she didn’t really know how loved she is. I wrote this to help her understand my love for her.
4D Love Poem
I want to explain my 4D love for you.
I love you as a baby. You were the first baby I ever loved. Everything you did was magic. You were the most beautiful baby I had ever seen – it should have been your face on all the baby food jars. I took you on walks and showed you the world. You gummed on my fingers. I loved you.
I love you as a toddler. A demanding toddler who insisted specific people do specific things in a specific way. Usually, you wanted Grandma. But sometimes you chose me. I felt so special! I threw you into the air and spun you around. I loved you.
I love you as a little girl. I graduated and moved away and I missed being in your life. I used my time and love to make books to help you to know me better. Ten students in my Masters program helped colour pictures during class. I loved you.
I love you as a preteen. The preteen who loved my children the way I loved her as a baby; Who held them, and sweetly played with them, and pushed them on the swings; Who missed them like I missed her. I loved you.
I love you as a teenager. The teen who came to my house and bravely tried new things. The teen who hated to disappoint me when you didn’t like our food. The teen who got up early just to spend time with my toddlers. The teen who flew from the swing with her sister and comforted that sister when she scraped her knee. I love you.
And I will Iove you as a young adult. As you try and fail and choose to try again. Or choose not to try again and do something different. I will love you with anxiety and without. With school or without. I will love you when you’re bored and life appears dull and meaningless. I will love you when you’re too busy to think about me.
I will love you as a middle adult. And I will love your children or your very non-allergenic dogs.
And when I’m old and grey, and you bring your children visit me and your mother in a retirement home, and I have trouble remembering which one is which – I will love you then. Though I may not hear you very well.
This is my 4D love for you. You may not understand it now. But you will.
© Jacquify 2021
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