A Better Life To Come

In honor of April 27th, Tell A Story Day

Two unborn twins floated snug and secure in their mother’s womb. But they face an uncertain future, an uncertain passage to a new life. Weeks passed into months, and with the advent of each new month, the twins noticed a change in each other, and each twin began to see change in himself.

"We are changing," said the one to the other. "What can it mean?"

"It means," said the other, "that we are drawing near to birth."

"Were it up to me, I would live here forever!" the first twin said.

"But we must be born," said the other. "It has happened to all the others who were here before." For indeed there was evidence of life-there-before, as the mother had borne other children. "But, but is there life after birth?"

"How can there be life after birth?" cried the first twin. "Do we not shed our life cord? And have you ever talked to one that has been born? Has anyone ever re-entered the womb after birth? No!" The first fell into despair, and in his despair he moaned, "If the purpose of conception and all our growth is that it be ended in birth, then truly our life is absurd." Resigned to despair, he stabbed the darkness with his unseeing eyes, and as he clutched his precious life cord to his chest, he said, "If this be so, and life is absurd, then there really can be no mother."

"But there is a mother," protested the other, "who else gave us nourishment and our world?"

"We get our own nourishment and our world has always been here," replied the first twin. "And if there is a mother, where is she? Have you ever seen her? Does she ever talk to you?" The other began to describe a time he thought he heard the mother speak, but before he could complete his thought, the other answered, "No! We invented the mother because it satisfied a need in us. It made us feel secure and happy."

Thus while the one raved and despaired, the other resigned himself to birth and placed his trust in the hands of his unseen Mother. Hours stretched into days, and days became weeks, and then the time came. Both knew their birth was at hand, and both feared what they did not know. They cried as they were born into the light -and coughed as they gasped the dry air. And when they were sure they had been born, they opened their eyes, seeing for the first time!

They found themselves cradled in the warm love of their Mother’s arms. They lay open-mouthed, awestruck before the overwhelming beauty and truth that was far more wonderful than anything they could have ever hoped for.

~ William Lawson