Friday after work I met a friend for dinner. When I got there she had her two year old son with her, it was a pleasant surprise, I don’t get to see either of them as often as I would like. Getting out of her car my friend was juggling a few items and asked if I could hold her son’s hand. I did. While walking towards the restaurant I looked down at him and he just melted my heart, his little hand in mine. We ordered our meals and I excused myself to the ladies room. When I returned my friend had decided that since her two year old had managed to clear the table (which she had predicted, he is two after all) we should get our dinners to go and eat at her place where he could have the run of the house and we could chat. She then asked me, while her son squirmed in her lap throwing crayons left and right, if moments like these help solidify my decision not to have children. I told her that even moments like walking hand in hand with her son, heart melting and all, that I’m sure.
Tom and I adore children, even the ones who dump pasta on the floor to signify “I’m done.” We enjoy watching them learn to walk and talk, play, laugh, and grow (not real big on the crying). And yes, we have made the decision not to have our own. But we will never make the decision to close our hearts or our home to any child.
