Bonding: the emotional practice to better our world

12 beautiful weeks of bonding with my baby are coming to a close, and today marks the last official day of my parental leave.

Friday, 3/5-22

I am trying to take it slow, have a slow morning, take these past 12 weeks in. It’s not an easy feat when you have a 2 year old who is recovering from an ear infection and gotta get ready for preschool… But, I try. Deep breaths, mindfulness, and presence.?

In this state, I reflect more, for better or for worse. There is so much going on in the outside world that I have a hard time comprehending, but I try not to let it in. Not today. I have this deep fear of forgetting how he smells, the sound of his first coo, the brightness of his first smile, how he developed from boneless to active in just a matter of months, and how he makes my heart feel when he looks up at me with his big brown eyes.?

It seems so unfair that I will work so hard to remember this special time of bonding, and he won’t have any recollection of it. From all the diapers we changed, the countless hours I spent nursing him in my arms, and the lullabies both Skyler and I sang to him. Somehow though, all of these labors of love and the emotional investment you shower your little human in, will end up shaping them as they grow.

It fascinates me…

Becoming a parent will forever be my life’s most important job, and as I return to my career at SAP, I take with me; gratitude for the time I was given, to shape this priceless bond with my youngest son. I also take with me a refreshed perspective on the importance of bonding. Bonding with a friend, a community, a brand, a business, and a baby. The bonds we share make us better, stronger and more valuable to each other, society and the environment as a whole.?

I am convinced that if we all took more time to bond with both what we do and each other, we would have less conflict and war, more comprehension and depth, as well as a better understanding of each other's problems, enabling us to develop more meaningful solutions.

I look forward to bringing these reflections of bonding to work with my colleagues at SAP, blazing a path of emotional connection, and committing the time it takes to build an authentic relationship with our brand and business.

As a good parent, friend, colleague, I will always nurture you, even though you won’t always remember. But that’s ok, it comes with the job.?

See you, Monday!