Friday, March 14, 2008

The Good Son

Why do we have children?

Is it to produce more human capital to oil the wheels of the economy? They give us the baby bonus for this. To take care of us in old age? What if you pass away before old age? (what is 'old' anyway?) To continue the family line? Is anyone going to remember you long after you are gone? To make life more fulfilling? As if we don't complicate our lives as they already are.

Many different people have different ideas about why they have children. Recently, I found that children are very important for two important reasons - to pray for your well-being and forgiveness of sins after you pass on, and to take care of people and things you leave after you pass on.

* * *
After a gruelling 6 hours in the delivery ward, our son was born on 3 March 08, at 3.05pm. My wife's a real champ - she displayed unmatched strength, stamina and the willpower to keep at it to make our son come out a healthy person.

The next few days were surreal - is this really our kid? Was this same thing inside her stomach for the last 37 weeks? Are we now parents?

Visitors came and went and bought a lot of useful things for the boy - diapers and clothes topping the list.

Upon discharge and coming home, baby had to adjust from womb life, to hospital life, and now to Kim Tian life. The relatives started pouring in during the weekends, and I tried to make myself scarce. Friends also came, slowly digesting the fact that I was now a father.

And a father I am. It's been an absolute joy feeding the baby, cuddling him, bathing him and taking pictures with him. I don't quite enjoy changing diapers (one: because he becomes violent and tries to smear it all over himself and two: see one) but it's part of the jobscope lah, what to do. While I've lost my temper a few times because of his I-get-all-figetty-at-night syndrome, I try to control it and tell myself that I was probably a similar (or more) troublemaker when I was little and gave my parents more reasons to beat me with a Made-in-Taiwan ladle.

I resume work next week - so less pastoral duties for me (presumably) as I will be busy making dough for the family.


2 comments:

jalsa... said...

you almost seem happy with your last lines

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! On being a father and increased in responsibilties...haha...anway having children is one of the gifts of Allah...bring him up well my brother as you've said: to pray for your well-being and forgiveness of sins after you pass on. Hopefully I get to see your son soon. Wasalam. (Isa)