My neighborhood once was a haven for families. When my children were young gangs roamed our backyards and walked in and out of our kitchens. Literally, there was a path in the hedges between the house next door and mine. The voices of children echoed in the air. Bus stops had lines of children queuing. My children had a wonderful neighborhood to grow up in. They and I have good memories. That was then; this is now.
For a long time, I've wondered where the children went. I see plenty of young people jogging. I also see many couples, also singles, walking dogs. The thought has occurred to me that people aren't having children nowadays, but rather they're pet owners. Pets are satisfying the human need to love and nurture.
My thoughts were reinforced today by the article, "Fur Babies," in Breakpoint. John Stonestreet articulates what I've long thought. He calls it "pet parenthood," or "fur babies." Young people today opt to care for pets because it's less an investment than a child. With a pet, life is still focused on them.
Kind of selfish, heh?
I enjoy the thought that when I die, I still live on, in my children and grandchildren.
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