To have a child

Many young adults these days eschew having children because it would take the attention off of them. I have a niece who willingly uses this excuse. But perhaps at the bottom of it lies this unacknowledged truth.

To have a child is to embrace a future you can't control.

Tom French, RadioLab, 23 Days 6 Weeks episode

What they can't know is that the lack of control brings rewards and joys that can't be imagined from their vantage point before parenthood. In this way, it is like obeying God when he asks something that is going to be uncomfortable. (And doesn't he do that a lot?) One must take on his task obediently only to find the surprise, the joy, the love that often is interwoven with the discomfort.

One must not be afraid of adventure. As Saint John Paul II said, "Be not afraid."