Congratulations to you and your husband on your pregnancy; may each day be blessed.
I have never had a child and at 53, our Biblical female ancestors not withstanding, I am not going to. Over the years, I have watched the revelation of the baby's gender unfold as a cultural matter and also unfold in my own perception.
Like so many other things, I fear that the choices we make often turn up as unfortunate "bumperstickers" of who *we* are. The decision, whatever brought it forth, for not knowing the baby's gender starts "telling" people about who you are and why you did this.
That is sad to me.
In a culture obsessed with superficial opinion as an indiciator of our own identity, this just becomes another marker. Sadly, those markers become invitations to judgment! "Oh, you didn't learn the sex - I like you!" or "What's wrong with you losers? Are you nuts? How will you know how to paint the nursery?"
In terms of the baby - well, from my POV, I like the idea of mystery and surprise and the fullness of love implied in welcoming whatever child is born on that wonderful day ahead. But that is not a cry to romanticize you and your husband!
All in all, mystsery has become like some worn out piece of clothing that many have tossed away along with an invitation to divide and in worst cases, condemn. That is what is really sad to me!
Well that was long winded for 6am!
Peace and good - all the best for you and your family Mollie.
Congratulations and best of luck (and health) to you and your family. I imagine space limitations of The Last Word is does not allow for an in-depth treatise, but I wish you had delved a bit further on why you and your husband did not want to know the sex of your baby. I think there's much there. Wanting to be surprised can't be the main thing, since you'll be surprised the first time you hear it, no matter when you hear it. Though it may not be a moral decision, I do think it fosters the acceptance of children as gifts from God, which is Catholic.
Congratulations to you and your husband on your pregnancy; may each day be blessed.
I have never had a child and at 53, our Biblical female ancestors not withstanding, I am not going to. Over the years, I have watched the revelation of the baby's gender unfold as a cultural matter and also unfold in my own perception.
Like so many other things, I fear that the choices we make often turn up as unfortunate "bumperstickers" of who *we* are. The decision, whatever brought it forth, for not knowing the baby's gender starts "telling" people about who you are and why you did this.
That is sad to me.
In a culture obsessed with superficial opinion as an indiciator of our own identity, this just becomes another marker. Sadly, those markers become invitations to judgment! "Oh, you didn't learn the sex - I like you!" or "What's wrong with you losers? Are you nuts? How will you know how to paint the nursery?"
In terms of the baby - well, from my POV, I like the idea of mystery and surprise and the fullness of love implied in welcoming whatever child is born on that wonderful day ahead. But that is not a cry to romanticize you and your husband!
All in all, mystsery has become like some worn out piece of clothing that many have tossed away along with an invitation to divide and in worst cases, condemn. That is what is really sad to me!
Well that was long winded for 6am!
Peace and good - all the best for you and your family Mollie.