New Birth
Have you ever been able to witness the birth of a child? Or, perhaps, given birth yourself? A couple years back, my sister gave birth to a girl, Lilly. It was a joyous and wonderful time for them and for all of us celebrating with them. I have never been a father myself, so some of those feelings escape me, but I am a witness to my sister and brother-in-law's experience. Really, with rare exception, every first-time mother and father testifies to a peculiar happiness when they hold their child for the first time. The peculiar magnificence of childbearing is hard to miss. Bringing a child into the world is a time of maximum joy. Seldom do people find that same level of happiness again. This makes me curious. What is it about birth that makes it so special? Why do mothers and fathers across the world and across history universally agree that it is a powerful, meaningful, and euphoric experience? There is something to this, something p...