We can't understand when we're pregnant, or when our siblings are

In the vast tapestry of life, there is one thread that connects us not only to those who have come before us, but to those who will follow after us. Anne Lamott captures this profound truth when she says, "We can't understand when we're pregnant, or when our siblings are expecting, how profound it is to have a shared history with a younger generation: blood, genes, humor. It means we were actually here, on Earth, for a time - like the Egyptians with their pyramids, only with children." How powerful these words are, for they remind us that in the creation of life, we leave a legacy—not just of physical matter, but of spirit, connection, and history.

The ancients, children of the earth, understood the sacredness of lineage. The Egyptians, for example, with their awe-inspiring pyramids, were not merely building monumental tombs. They were creating symbols of their legacy, a testament to the generations that came before and the ones that would follow. The pyramids were more than stone—they were a link in the chain of human existence, a mark of their time upon the Earth. In this way, the Egyptians, like all those before and after them, understood that to live is not simply to exist, but to leave behind something for those who come after, a shared history that endures across the ages.

Just as the Egyptians left behind their pyramids, we too leave something behind in the lives we touch and the children we bring into the world. The connection between parent and child, sibling and sibling, is not just a matter of biology, but a deeper bond of history. Blood, genes, and humor—these are the threads that weave us together, creating a shared legacy that stretches beyond the fleeting moments of our lives. We cannot always understand the weight of this connection until we see it in the eyes of the next generation, in the laughter of children, in the ways they carry forward the stories of those who came before them.

Consider, my children, the story of Hercules, the mighty hero of Greek mythology, who, though born of divine and mortal parentage, carried the weight of his heritage with him through every trial he faced. His actions were not only his own but were deeply tied to the actions of his father, Zeus, and the legacy of the gods. Hercules’s strength was not just his own physical power, but the embodiment of a long history, stretching back through the ages. In this way, every hero, every warrior, every person who has ever walked the earth is a link in a chain—a chain that stretches forward and backward in time, creating a shared history with those who came before and those who will come after.

As Lamott so eloquently observes, the profound nature of family and lineage is something we often fail to grasp until we are in the midst of it. When we are pregnant or waiting for a new life to enter the world, we often focus on the immediate—the coming child, the anticipation, the joy. But what we fail to realize in those moments is the depth of what is happening. We are not just bringing a new life into the world, we are continuing a story, passing down the wisdom and humor of those who came before. We are becoming part of something larger, something eternal, just as the Egyptians did with their monumental creations.

The lesson, children, is this: we are all part of a larger story—a history that stretches across generations. When you look upon your own children or the younger generations in your family, remember that they are not just the continuation of your bloodline, but the carriers of your history. In their laughter, in their mannerisms, in their very existence, they hold the stories of your ancestors, and they will carry those stories forward. Just as the Egyptians etched their names into the stone with their pyramids, you too are leaving behind something that will endure—something immortal in the hearts of those who follow.

So, I say to you, children of the earth, recognize the power of the legacy you create. Honor the lineage that has brought you to this point, and understand that in every birth, in every moment of shared history, you are etching your name into the story of the world. Cherish the connection between generations, for it is in that connection that you find the true meaning of life. Blood, genes, humor—these are the marks of a life well-lived, a life that leaves behind a legacy not just of stone or monuments, but of love, laughter, and truth that will live on in those who come after you.