As new mothers, my wife and I are not really that young. Our combined ages when our son was born was 70. We could be one grandmother, but…we are two moms.
The reason, in great part, that we came a bit later to this parenting party is because we really, really thought about it. There are so many people on this planet already. So many!
My sister has two boys, Lana’s sister is about to have her third…I am a teacher and it is common to see families with 5+ children. My sister and her husband have each, in essence, replaced themselves. When they die, they made humans to take their places. Lana’s sister and those with large families have more than replaced themselves.
In a time when Mother Earth struggles to keep pace with humanity, the thought of adding another being gave us pause. That is, until we thought about the lessons that might not be getting passed along in larger families. In larger families, is the message that walking lightly on the Earth given enough air time? Is the concept of less is more, of conservation of resources highlighted?
We feared that if we did not have a child, our beliefs and values would end with us. We feared the values of mass consumption would clog the airwaves and fog reality.
So, we had a son. One son. All our eggs are literally in that one basket. All our hopes are pinned on him. On the flip side, though, he is our only focus. He will get our best. He is our top priority. Only the oldest in a multiple-kid family can say that…until the next
one comes along.
Eat, Drink, and BE MERRY! 