THE VOICE WITHIN

The twin boy and girl had been conceived and were growing. The weeks passed. As their awareness developed, they laughed for joy: “Isn’t it great that we were conceived? Isn’t it good to be alive?”

Together the twins explored their world. When they found their mother’s cord that gave them life, they sang for joy! “How great our mother’s love is, that she shares her life with us!”

As the weeks stretched into months, the twins noticed how much each was changing.

“What does it mean?” the brother asked.

“It means our stay here is drawing to an end,” said the sister.

“But I don’t want to go. I want to stay here always.”

“We have no choice. Maybe there is life after birth.”

“But how can there be?” responded the boy, continuing worriedly, “We will shed our mother’s cord. How can life be possible without it? Besides, from whatever evidence we have seen, others were here before us. None of them has returned to tell us there is life after birth. No, this is the end. Maybe there is no mother even, after all.”

“But there has to be!” protested the girl, asking, “How else did we get here? How do we remain alive?”

“Have you ever seen our mother?” demanded the boy, adding, “Maybe she is only a figment of our imagition. Maybe we made her up because the idea makes us feel good.”

His sister remained silent. Thus their last days in the womb were filled with bewilderment and fear.

Filly, the moment of birth arrived. When the twins had passed from their world, they opened their eyes, blinked and cried for joy – for what they saw exceeded their fondest dreams.

That is birth. Death will be stranger still.

—the harbinger