Last night we watched the first episode of season three of Call The Midwife. In the episode a mother has a difficult delivery and is assisted by Chummy. While the deliveries in the show are not graphic the actresses portraying the mothers do express what I believe to be a realistic experience of child birth. As many of you know my only biological child (of which I am aware) was killed through abortion, so I have no experience of what it is like as a father to be in the room, to watch one's wife give birth to one's child.
In the scene the mother, in great pain attempts to push the baby out, but is unable to do so. As I watched, the sound of her cries were piercing, I clutched my hands together and curled my toes. I am sure my wife took delight in watching my contortions, but as often happens for me as I watch this series I was moved by the miracle of life. Not simply the biological fact of life, but the relationships, the sorrows and the joys that go along with life. A woman selflessly presents herself to suffer that a new life may be brought into the world. Where would I be if a woman, my mother, had not offered herself to "suffer" the nine months and finally the hours of labor, or in my case a C-section, in cooperation with God (and my father) to bring about...me.
I refuse to be ashamed as I tell you I am often moved to shed a tear as I watch Call The Midwife. As difficult as the lives for many of the families were at that time in the community depicted in the series (based on the memoirs of a midwife in 1950s London), the series also reveals the joy as when a mother, after crying out in pain holds her baby in her arms and smiles in wonder at this new life.
"When a woman is in travail she has sorrow, because her hour has come: but when she is delivered of the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a child is born into the world.
-John 16:21 (RSV)
Men, we can never know this kind of pain melting into this great joy for this is reserved for woman, the creature God gave to us as our helpmate. She has a special place in His plan. It is she who offers her body for a sacrifice. She who endures the pain. She who looks to us for companionship, comfort, security and love. We often change for the better because of her. She is why we live.
http://www.pbs.org/call-the-midwife/season-3/episode-1/
In the scene the mother, in great pain attempts to push the baby out, but is unable to do so. As I watched, the sound of her cries were piercing, I clutched my hands together and curled my toes. I am sure my wife took delight in watching my contortions, but as often happens for me as I watch this series I was moved by the miracle of life. Not simply the biological fact of life, but the relationships, the sorrows and the joys that go along with life. A woman selflessly presents herself to suffer that a new life may be brought into the world. Where would I be if a woman, my mother, had not offered herself to "suffer" the nine months and finally the hours of labor, or in my case a C-section, in cooperation with God (and my father) to bring about...me.
I refuse to be ashamed as I tell you I am often moved to shed a tear as I watch Call The Midwife. As difficult as the lives for many of the families were at that time in the community depicted in the series (based on the memoirs of a midwife in 1950s London), the series also reveals the joy as when a mother, after crying out in pain holds her baby in her arms and smiles in wonder at this new life.
"When a woman is in travail she has sorrow, because her hour has come: but when she is delivered of the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a child is born into the world.
-John 16:21 (RSV)
Men, we can never know this kind of pain melting into this great joy for this is reserved for woman, the creature God gave to us as our helpmate. She has a special place in His plan. It is she who offers her body for a sacrifice. She who endures the pain. She who looks to us for companionship, comfort, security and love. We often change for the better because of her. She is why we live.
