Welcome to the world, Francesca Louise Hammond.

Our dear friends Alex and Berni had a baby daughter recently. We finally got to meet her in person last night.

She's small and cranky and has the same intensely blue eyes as a newborn kitten.

When I received the text message telling me that she was born, I immediately wanted to write something for her: a blessing, or a prayer, or a wish. Something to welcome this tiny new life into the world. (I was taking my lunchtime stroll through Melbourne Cemetery when I got the message, surrounded by broken headstones and cawing ravens. The counterpoint was not lost on me.)

I hammered out some words on my iPhone. Angelica drew a card. I wrote the words inside it, and we gave it to her parents last night.

Alex and Berni will make fantastic parents. They're smart and caring and determined. They have endless curiousity for the world around them. I would not be in the least surprised if their daughter grows up to be the first person on Jupiter, or benevolent dictator of the world.

Here is the card Angelica drew for them.

And here is our message for their daughter:

Dear Francesca-

Welcome to the world.

It's an exciting place. There are countries to visit and adventures to have, knowledge to learn and art to create, people to love and causes to fight for. It will break your heart, and it will fill you with joy, and all of it is yours to explore.

So welcome to the world, Francesca Louise Hammond.

You're going to love it here.