Dear Person That I Have Not Met...: A Grandmother's Love Letters to Her Unborn Grandchild

By Joan Beth Beugen

In the autumn of 2008, Joan Beugen was told by her daughter that she was pregnant with who would become Joan's very first grandchild. It was to become an exciting time in her family, but Joan was worried. She was very concerned that tiny one (that was what she called him) had no way of knowing what this growing and developing stuff it was going through was all about. And she was determined to help reassure tiny one that it was all right. But growing into the world can be a scary thing, and Joan was determined to help.

So she began writing letters to this little person that she had not met to explain some of the changes that were happening to him and to give him a head start in dealing with some of the challenges of the waiting world. Her letters, filled with fun and life lessons, remind all of us of our shared humanity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 12, 2024
• ISBN: 9798889823773

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Introduction

About the Author

cover.jpg

Dear Person That I Have Not Met...

A Grandmother's Love Letters to Her Unborn Grandchild

Joan Beth Beugen

Copyright © 2024 Joan Beth Beugen

All rights reserved

First Edition

Fulton Books

Meadville, PA

Published by Fulton Books 2024

Edited by Sheldon H. Beugen

ISBN 979-8-88982-378-0 (hardcover)

ISBN 979-8-88982-377-3 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Introduction

It was her first grandchild. And excited as the mother and father were about the birth of their child, Joan Beugen was transfixed by the thought of becoming a grandmother. In thinking about her yet unborn grandchild, she began focusing on the developing, growing person-to-be. As others have before her, she imagined the growing baby the size of vegetables and fruit, from the smallest to the largest during its growth inside its mother. She decided to write letters to that little person she had not yet met and that had not been born, establishing a relationship that lasted until her untimely death. Her letters, filled with fun and life lessons, reminds all of us of our shared humanity.

September 25, 2008

Dear tiny one,

Re: The ultrasound

Okay, little tiny one, I have to confess that all this is secondhand since I wasn't there at your ultrasound. But here is my attempt at journaling the event for you.

It was on a Monday, just a few days ago. Your parents went to meet with your obstetrician for the very first time. I know that the word obstetrician is a hard word for you. It's the doctor person who is going to help keep you safe before you are born.

Anyway, after the doctor talked with your parents about vitamins and appointment dates and delivery preferences and other things you don't need to know about now, she took a look at your ultrasound. An ultrasound is the first picture of you—a very special thing. So the doctor looked at your ultrasound picture and said, Wow, this is one gorgeous baby, which we know will be the first of many, many compliments you will get. Then she sat back in her chair, looked at your mom and dad and, said, This is likely to be a very tall child.

Politely, your mom and dad responded with a laugh while thinking that you will most likely also have big hands, big feet, and an arm reach like a pterodactyl. You didn't care about all that. You were just busy making fingers and toes.

Love,

Nana

October 7, 2008

Dear little fig,

Little fig, yes, that's you. That's about how big you are, more or less. I know you don't know what a fig is. It's a fruit, very tasty. Yes, I know, you don't know what fruit is. We'll come back to that.

I've been studying ultrasounds of fetuses your age. Yes, I know you don't know what a fetus is, but take my word for it. You are one. We'll come back to that later also. I discovered that