Monday, July 02, 2007

Where have all the children gone?

Patrick at Driving Out the Snakes has a post with some depressing news about where children rank in importance in American's opinions on marriage.Eighth. What could be more important than raising up the next generation?
My next door neighbor said that instead of having a second child, they would be getting a boat. A big one. Then they got a second dog, which their son calls his brother. So sad. He used to look through my fence to watch my girls playing together in the yard.
Kimberley Hahn, in her wonderful book on incorporating the Church's teaching on life into your home, Life-Giving Love, said, "the best thing you can give a child is a sibling, someone to love them when you are gone".
God bless those brave Catholic parents who have large families, and put up with all kinds of grief from perfect strangers. My friend Alice Gunther writes about the different reactions she sees to her family of seven children here.
I could only have three children (I lost three children to miscarriage) and now my OB said that carrying a child to term at my age would be enough to help Blessed Mother Teresa qualify for sainthood. Come on Mother, I want twins!

1 comment:

Patrick said...

I think your neighbor may find that the boat is a lot more costly and less enjoyable than another child would have been. :)

I'm sure Mother Teresa is working hard for you. Keep the faith.