Planning a Family, Singing the Song of a Child

ANONYMOUS

The philosophy of this story causes one to wonder whether the world might be a far different place if everyone were conceived this way.

The Song of a Child

There is a tribe in East Africa

for whom the birthday of a child

is not counted from the day of its physical birth

nor even the day of conception.

For this tribe,

the birthday is the first time the child

is a thought in its mother's mind.

Aware of her intention to conceive a child with a particular father,

the mother goes off to sit alone under a tree.

There she sits and listens

until she can hear the song of the child she hopes to conceive.

Once she has heard it, she returns to her village

and teaches it to the father

so that they can sing it together as they make love,

inviting the child to join them.

After the child is conceived,

she sings to the baby in her womb,

and she teaches the song

to the old women and midwives of the village,

so that throughout the labor

and the miraculous moment of birth itself,

the child is greeted with its song.

After the birth, all the villagers learn the song of their new member

and later sing it to the child when it falls or hurts itself.

It is sung at times of triumph,

or in rituals and initiations.

This song becomes a part of the marriage ceremony

when the child is grown.

And at the end of life

his or her loved ones

will gather around the deathbed

and sing this song

for the last time.