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'A Link Between Angels And Men'

I ran across a quote today that I think is particularly true and that parents know better than anyone: “A babe in the house is a well-spring of pleasure, a messenger of peace and love, a resting place for innocence on earth, a link between angels and men.”

That observation comes from the English writer Martin Farquhar Tupper, who lived from 1810 to 1889.

How is it that those words still resonate nearly 130 years after his death? Perhaps it is because they capture the joy of a newborn. Few sights are as innocent as a baby fast asleep, a hand across the chest, tiny fingers spread out and still. Indeed, it is this restful and unimpeded state so many adults seek and so few seem to find.

Another explanation for the power of the passage is this: We have become so accustomed to the violence and suffering in our world that we long for the opposite state of being.

It is a reality accessible only in our imaginations--and in the lives of our children.

No wonder we seek to give them the very best we can offer. Perhaps they can attain in their lifetimes the peace we can only dream about.

Comments

Anonymous said…

There is something magical about babies. When you are young and have a houseful of children, a job, a house and yard to tend to you don't have the time to really relish all the tiny pieces of that little treasure. Minute fingernails, eye lashes and velvet skin. How can a person hold that new life and say there is no God? Being old is a privilege not enjoyed by many. Your own children grow up, grow away but if you are blessed, your arms will hold Grands and GreatGrands . Treasure those children because there is no greater treasure.
August 7, 2018 at 1:18 PM
Nate said…
Love this!! I'm so grateful for the perspective you share as someone who has been through these stages in life and can truly appreciate newborns in all their splendor. Honestly, holding a baby in a rocking chair is about the best thing you can do, hands down. Thanks for the beautiful comment!
August 8, 2018 at 8:26 PM
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