Anna and I were fascinated by the sight of public announcement of birth of a child outside some homes while visiting a friend not far from Zurich a few months back. This is a recent practice according to our friend who has been a resident in this area for a long time now.
Most parents have children late, in the mid thirties or later. It is therefore a significant event in the family. Some parents choose to have only one child which makes child birth even more significant.
But more than this, there is a return to family life centred outlook to living after many countries in Europe have been going through crisis in marital and family stability for the last four decades or so! The birth of a child is therefore an special event in the family calendar.
A couple whom we happened to meet mentioned that the joy of child birth is a cementing experience in marital harmony. People seem to live gloomy and lonely lives, enclosed to the confines of their privacy! So a public announcement of the birth of a child brings a celebrant mood in the neighbourhood. It is one occasion when neighbours drop in without a prior enquiry of convenience for a house visit.
The arrival of a child can refire us with the joy of living! A seven years old girl while looking at the album of pictures of her birth, saw the announcement of her birth and she exclaimed, 'I am glad that I brought some joy to everyone'!
The birth of the baby Jesus in Bethlehem was one occasion when this joy was most evident!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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