What are you having?

As an eight months pregnant woman with my fourth child, I have heard this question often in the last ten years or so. Every time, my answer is the same, "We don't know. We want to be surprised." Tonight I overheard someone asking the question and the answer was that they were going to find out next week. He explained that they were having twins and so a little preparation was necessary. Then I started thinking. Why does it really matter to know whether a woman is having a boy or girl? Is there a major difference in having one or the other? I know some people find out what they are having to prepare rooms for the baby or buy the right clothes, but I find that newborns grow so quickly that buying a whole wardrobe of gender specific clothes soon ends up in storage. As for the rooms, a newborn girl is not going to care if she shares a room with her brothers for the first few months or even the first few years. I guess I'm a little perplexed at how necessary it is to find out what we are having. We are having a baby, and it doesn't make much of a difference if it's a girl or a boy.

Compassion goes a long way

Last night, my husband and I went to see The Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I had heard it was a good movie to see, so as a surprise my husband took me out. The most heartbreaking thing about the movie was how a small misunderstanding can have huge destructive consequences, and a little compassion can diffuse the worse situation. In social psychology, there is a concept that when we witness someone's bad behavior, we automatically assume the worst while we are very quick to explain away our own bad behavior. For example, imagine a woman who pushes her way through a line at the movies. Others in the line may assume that she is rude and disrespectful. However, the actual situation is that the woman's daughter has just fainted on the other side of the line, and the woman is rushing to her side. Most of us would excuse the mother's rude behavior because we would understand the anxiety of when those we love are hurt. Sometimes behavior can't be explained away, but most times a little bit of empathy and compassion can go a long way to making this world more peaceful.

Inspiration

As I stood in the 90+ heat this evening watching a fireworks show, I thought about inspiration, or my lack thereof. Although the bursts of greens, reds, whites, blues, and yellows provided ample ammunition for inspiration, I felt totally amiss in the area. In the past, fireworks shows have always left me with the impression that I could go home and create beautiful poetry and writing about the strong patriotic feelings I experienced or the sense of awe at all the blessings those fireworks celebrations represented. I thought I could thank God for the soldiers, law enforcement and firefighters who dedicate themselves to protecting all that we hold dear. I could thank God for the teachers who dedicate themselves to helping future generations develop and learn. I could thank God for the doctors and nurses who dedicate themselves to keeping countless people healthy or at least comfortable when faced with a difficult injury or illness. I could thank God for all the people who dedicate themselves to help others develop their spiritual lives through prayer or other sorts of communion with God.

Normally, fireworks shows inspire these grateful feelings, but tonight I felt sadly limited as I watched the delightful bursts. However, now as I reflect on my lack of inspiration during the show, I realize that in thinking about all I'm grateful for has inspired me to look for all those in the world who work to make this place better for all. Although I'm saddened by horrific events such as the Norway shooting, I realize that millions of people work to undo the horrible acts of this one person. Thank you, Lord for all the good people you have put on this earth.