As we welcome my newest great-grandson, we take a break from the world’s troubles to smile | Opinion

Sometimes, in the middle of chaos and unrest, the Lord will give you something to celebrate. For me, and my family, it was the birth of Shamar MaliQ Mestre-Hines, who made his debut into the world at 8 a.m. via C-section on Oct. 17, weighing in at 6 pounds and 7 ounces.

Already, my newest great-grandson has brought smiles and lots of happiness to us. And while I could never make little of the war going on in Israel and of the loss of lives there, including those of newborns like my new great-grandson, for a little while I could smile. And believe that this new life the Lord has gifted my family with is a sign of hope.

I don’t know what role little Shamar will play in the unfolding of the future of our world. I can only pray that his coming is not only a blessing to our family, but also a blessing to the world.

Shamar is the third grandson of my late son Pastor James F. Hines, Jr., who died in September 2013. Rick, as we called him, was the father of three daughters — Nykeva, LaQuonia and Jamie. Now, his daughters have given him three grandsons.

He would be so proud of his three boys.

I love it that his parents, LaQuonia (my granddaughter), and Simon, his dad, put a lot of thought into his name.

“Shamar means to guard or to protect or to watch over,” La Quonia explained. “And his middle name MaliQ is a West African name that means king. I wanted him to have both our last names, so his surname is Mestre-Hines.”

I thought back to the time when LaQuonia and her older sister Nykeva were born.

The trend back then was for Blacks to give their children African or biblical names. Often, the names were simply “made-up” names that had a pretty or musical sound. But I was from the old school and was used to names like Emma or Susie or even Beatrice. I found it hard to latch onto this new-name trend.

I even found it hard to remember Nykeva and LaQuonia’s names, so I wrote their names on a piece of paper and carried it my wallet until I became familiar with them. Now that I know the meaning of Shamar’s name, it is a lot easier to remember.

As Debra, Shamar’s maternal grandma and my son’s widow, and I saw him for the first time, we couldn’t stop smiling. Everyone in the room thought I should have the honor of holding him first. I was happy to. And as I held my sweet great-grandbaby for the first time, and prayed over him and his parents, I couldn’t stop the tears. They were both happy and sad tears.

Tears of sadness because I wasn’t able to make this a better world for him, and the millions of other sweet babies like him, who were born on the same day, at the same time, somewhere else in the world.

Happy tears, because with new birth also comes new hope, which is how we survive the ugliness that often overshadows the beauty around us.

On the drive home from the hospital, I was both tired and refreshed. I was tired because I had set my alarm for 4:15 that morning so I could meet LaQuonia at the hospital at 5:15 a.m. But sleep had come in short spurts during the night.

By 3 a.m., I was wide awake. It had already been a long day. I was refreshed because I realized how blessed I am, to have been spared to welcome my sixth great-grandchild into the world (he joins his cousins Jaylen, 16, Tavaris, 16, Halle, 8, Marley, 7, and Loretta, 3). I was overwhelmed with gratitude; thankful that I have lived long enough to see four generations of our family.

So as we celebrate Shamar’s arrival, I am thanking the Lord for now. We don’t know what the future holds. But we know that God holds the future, that it is in good hands. And it is into those hands that I place Shamar.

I am humbled, too, that God has kept me in my “right mind and a reasonable portion of good health,” as my mom used to say, so that I can celebrate Shamar’s arrival. And even change a diaper or two.

To God be all the glory!

Charmettes’ Pink Hat event on Sunday

Ladies, pull out your pretty pink hats, and men, your pink neck ties, and join the Miami-Dade County Chapter of The Charmettes Inc. at their annual Pink Hat/Pink Tie Prayer Tea to be at 3 p.m. Sunday (Oct. 22) at 901 Event and Conference Center, 901 NW 183rd St.

The organization’s signature fundraiser event helps to seek a cure for cancer. To date, The Charmettes have donated more than $950,000 to the Howard University Cancer Center.

If you go, tickets are $40 each and may be purchased at the door.

Yesteryear stories of the Gables

History buffs will want to attend the “100 Voices: Yesteryear Stories of Coral Gables” event at 4:30 p.m. Sunday (Oct. 22) at the Coral Gables Merrick House, 907 Coral Way, in Coral Gables.

The program will feature Toby Muir, whose mother — journalist Helen Muir — wrote “The Biltmore: Beacon for Miami,” which was based on her coverage of the hotel.

Muir will talk about his mother’s life and friendship with Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Eunice Peacock Merrick, Richard Merrick, George Merrick’s brother, and lots of other familiar local characters.

Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased at the door.

Bea Hines can be reached at bea.hines@gmail.com