Quote
“This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this
England,
This nurse, this teeming womb of royal kings,
Fear'd by their breed and famous by their birth”
William Shakespeare, Richard II
News
Millions of
people worldwide celebrated the birth of William and Kate’s first child this
week. The response was heartening – world leaders sent their congratulations, landmarks
around the globe were illuminated and, at its height, over 25,000 tweets were sent
every minute. But why has this story so captured our hearts, and what does this
say about us?
Worldwide,
approximately 255 babies are born every minute. Yet almost all these births are only celebrated
by relatives and close friends. In the public sphere, normal family life is
seldom deemed newsworthy. More often, the family is affirmed in a negative
sense, when we hear of murders, divorce or tragic accidents. The birth of children
to celebrities may generate a minor news story, but the arrival of baby Prince
George swept every other headline away.
The celebration
by vast numbers of ordinary people has, in a sense, validated our inherent belief
in the fabric of family life. People around the world feel they have permission
to rejoice publicly in the gift of new life because of who William and Kate
are. The relational distance between us and the royal couple is bridged by
their unpretentious and accessible demeanour. This sense of proximity is
strengthened by the fact that Kate is ‘one of us’: a commoner who was swept off
her feet by the charming young prince and (we hope) they will live happily ever
after.
Not only has
the birth publicly conveyed a positive message about the value of family relationships,
the shared experience has brought people closer together and reinforced our
common humanity.
The young
Prince George was born for a lifetime in the public spotlight, and is third in
line to the British throne. Let us hope that his life will continue to do what
his birth has done: to reveal to us the
joy of commonplace family life and relationships, where the humdrum and the
magical meet.
Read on…
The birth of a first child can bring not only joy but stress to new
parents and put their relationship under pressure. The National Childbirth
Trust offers information and support for new parents; view their resources here.
Walk the talk
How might you reduce the relational distance between you and others who
look to you to play a meaningful role in their lives?
The last word
From the Bible, Luke chapter 1, verses 31-32: “You will be with child
and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus... The Lord God
will give him the throne of his father David.”
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