the hard things

I got to feed a seven day old today at San Antonio's.  As I was feeding her a bottle, with all the noise and chaos of at least 12 other babies under one year old crying and talking, she fell asleep. When the nurse told me to wake her up, make her finish her bottle, and put her back to bed, it hit me how different her childhood already is than a baby with parents.

Seven days old is not old.  If she were with her mom and dad, her life would not look like it does.  Instead of waking up to 12 other babies crying, she would wake up to a beautiful room prepared just for her.  At her first cry, her mom would come in a pick her up.  These babies are not allowed to be picked up unless they are being fed , changed, or bathed.  The theory is picking them up when they cry only makes them used to being held and will make them cry more.  They have to learn, even at the young age of seven days, to be strong.  After coming to pick her up because she is crying, her mom would change her diaper.  These babies get their diaper changed only a few times everyday, it dosen't really matter if they have a dirty diaper.  After getting a clean diaper the mother would feed her baby. She would rock her and feed her, singing songs only meant for her baby.  If she fell asleep, that would be ok; she's only seven days old.  Her mom would look at her, in awe of this tiny miracle.  My seven day old miracle has no one to sing to her, and no one to gaze at her and wonder at the miracle she is.

This seven day old is already learning hard life lessons that no one of any age should be made to learn.  She is learning that she is not special, she is not wanted, and she is not loved beyond all measure.  You may think that this is a little harsh to be saying, but it's not.  Think, where is it that we learn those messages?  Our dads are the ones who first tell us we are beautiful and that they will love us unconditionally.  They show us first so we can know the Lord's love for us later on, that He thinks we are beautiful no matter what we look like.  Our moms tell us we are wanted from day one.  They hold us day in and day out, never letting us our of their sight until they absolutely have to.

Why does this seven day old have to learn these hard things, why can she not be normal?  Why is it?