SPIRITUAL GIFTS OF CHILDREN BORN PREMATURELY AND WHAT MAKES THEM SO SPECIAL

My son was born at 29 weeks.

Having a baby, giving birth, and what comes after is overwhelming as it is. You'll never ever be prepared for the experience of having a child, no matter how much you read or listen to the endless advice that people so willingly want to give you. Having a child is your own personal journey. You may come across similar experiences with other moms, but that's probably as far as it goes.

But having a baby way before that baby is due? Is a whole different experience. It sends you into a space full of confusion and fear. It puts you in a frenzy. Upping your stress levels like nothing else.

No matter how my doctor tried, my son was ready to come into the world and start life, even if I wasn't. Was it fate? Was it written? Did I do something wrong? Is he going to be okay? I kept saying sorry like I had done something wrong, thinking that I had done something that led to him coming early.

From my last check-up, I was healthy, and so was he, so why this?

So many things running through my mind, while having my contractions.

But his birth was easy. Born at only 1200grams, but he was well, even considering the circumstances. He was well. At 29 weeks, his lungs were still developing, but he fought on and pushed through.

He'll be 21 this July, and I thank God every single day that he is a healthy, healthy boy. Looking at him now, you wouldn't think he was a preemie born at only 29 weeks.

I will always see my son as extraordinary, because he just is. He beat some odds. And he lives life the way I wish I did.

All throughout his childhood, he was always more mature than his age. He's such an 'old soul'. Deeply intuitive, calm, very aware in his quiet moments and even in chaos, quietly sensitive, and has the kind of kindness that would put many people to shame, and also he's annoyingly smart. He's also strong-willed, determined, headstrong, has strong instincts, and fearless (unless it's heights! He's scared of heights).

I've had family members who we'd see once a year for family gatherings, text me after just to tell me how impressed they are with my son. There's just something about him that pulls people in. Of course, I politely say thank you, as if I had anything to do with it, but I don't. I know I can't take credit for who he has grown into. Because that's just how my son is. I didn't teach the kind of traits that he has. I don't think you can.

My brother was also a preemie, born at 25 weeks. But he was born with physical and mental challenges. When he was born, the doctors said he wouldn't survive due to some complications, and he was extremely small. Well, he just turned 50 and has a family of his own. He did more than just survive. He thrived, despite his challenges. He is probably the strongest and most determined person I know. And I don't think my brother knows what fear even means.

Both of them seem to have a kind of softness that comes with a strength that I can't explain.

If your child was born prematurely, or if you were, maybe you've felt it too. That something about them just feels...different. Not at all in a bad way. But in a way you can't really put your finger on.

They might be quieter. Or more sensitive. Or more tuned in. Whatever it is, it feels like they came into the world with something extra.

Something soft. Something strong. Something almost spiritual.

6 Spiritual Gifts That Often Come With People Who Are Born Prematurely

They just know things

People who were born prematurely often grow up with strong instincts.

They know when someone's upset, even when nothing's been said. They sense tension. They feel moods. They pick up on the little stuff, like changes in tone, silence that feels heavy, energy shifts.

It's like they've always had to read the room to feel safe, and now it's just become a part of who they are.

As a child, my son used to be extremely sensitive to energy shifts. I'd be washing the dishes and lost in thought and worried about things that happened at work, when I'd feel him hug me from behind and ask me if everything was okay.

This kind of intuition is not the easiest to explain. But if you've experienced it with your child or felt it in yourself, you'd know what I mean. It's definitely not something you can teach. It's something they're blessed with.

They feel older than they are

People born prematurely often carry a quite depth, and other people notice it.

Even as young children, there's a stillness in them. They watch the world around them so intently, and they look as if they already understand more than they're saying.

They don't always fit into the usual boxes. They might not hit all the milestones others on the same timeline do, but then, they don't need to.

They're always doing things in their own way and at their own pace. And there's something beautifully wise about that.

They feel everything more deeply

A lot of preemies grow up very sensitive. Not just physically, but emotionally too. And again, it's not a bad thing.

They might feel more deeply and might cry more. Or they might easily be overwhelmed in busy and noisy places. Or they might be able to pick up on other people's stress and not know how to shake it off.

They might need more quiet. More time to process things. More gentle space.

It's definitely not a weakness. It's not drama. It's just how they are wired.

That sensitivity? That's part of what makes them so special. It's why they are the ones who will be the first to notice when someone else is hurting. It's why they can comfort in a way that actually connects to people in a deep way. They understand it in a way that's unexplainable.

They're kind of in-between worlds

Some people say babies born prematurely come into the world with one foot still on the other side. Like they weren't quite ready to be here, but they came anyway.

And that shows up in little ways.

They might dream very vivid, detailed dreams. Or they can be deeply connected to animals, or music, or even nature.

Or say things that might catch you off guard. Simple things that might hold so much truth that you can't believe that it's coming from a person so young.

They might feel things other people don't notice. Have a perspective on something that'll make you turn your head and wonder. And sometimes they can't explain it, but they just know what they know.

They have a little extra knowing. As if they have a quiet connection to something bigger.

They're way stronger than they look

This one's obvious to any parent who's watched their premature baby in an incubator, fighting just to breathe.

But their strength doesn't just stop there.

A lot of babies born prematurely carry an invisible strength all through adulthood. The kind of strength that's not loud, but quiet. The kind that shows up in how they keep going when things get impossible. Or in how they carry other people's weight without saying a word.

They've known struggle from the very beginning, when they didn't even know what struggle was. They've felt fear before they could even talk. And even if they don't remember it consciously, their body does. And that has helped shape who they are.

It gives them a kind of resilience that simply cannot be taught.

They know they're here for something

Some people born prematurely just don't know what it is, but they feel like they're here for a reason.

As a mom to a preemie, I more than know my son is destined for something big, meaningful, purposeful. I just can't explain it, but I've felt it ever since he was born, and 20 years on that feeling has not waivered, no matter what life throws at him. And sometimes he gets behind, but he pushes forward and doesn't let challenges slow him down. And that knowing, is not just mine, because he's my kid, but he has the same deep knowing too.

And maybe it's not about a big, loud purpose. Maybe it's not about changing the world. Maybe it's about the small, meaningful things. Maybe it's being a space place in a noisy world.

Whatever it is, quiet or loud, it's real. And it's powerful.

If this is your child....

You already know your child is different. They came too soon. You already know they came with a story.

You've seen their fight. You've felt their strength.

You might have seen things in them that you can't quite explain. A depth that doesn't match their age.

They might be more sensitive. Might take longer to open up. Might struggle in ways you can't always see.

But underneath all of that is a soul that came into this world with its own timeline, its own path, and its light.

A soul that chose you. Your love, your arms, and your presence for them to walk their life with.

Even if they came early, they came right on time.

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