At the heart of it all, there’s a new baby, a new little life, demanding to be fed, changed, loved, cuddled and comforted. The first night after giving birth my little girl and I sat staring at one another, eyes wide open, both trying to get our heads around the amazing thing that had just happened. I don’t know which of us was most surprised!
The sheer amount of joy and love felt towards this new little person is immense. Having my daughter has been a revolution in my life, as it has helped me realise what love really is. It’s self-sacrificial and all-encompassing. It was something I hadn’t truly experienced before giving birth to my daughter.
I’m learning so much about the vital role we have as parents. Being a mum or dad involves giving your child the opportunity to be the best person they can be. A child also teaches you about love and compassion. My little daughter, who is not yet five months old, has a ready smile for anyone she meets. She has not yet learned to hate, or to fear, or to judge others by their age, skin colour or religion. So with every generation, we have a new opportunity – the values we give to our children are the values society will grow with. That is both an awesome and exciting responsibility.
When I look at my beautiful baby daughter – her perfectly-formed fingernails, her little eyelashes and her tiny toes – it’s impossible to think of her as anything other than a miracle. And yet I know, in my heart of hearts, that she is no more a miracle than any other person. Because everyone has value and everyone is precious.