Peace on Earth Begins with Birth

It is December and is therefore the time of year when the whole world begins talking about Peace on Earth. Countless songs have been playing over the radio for the past month extolling the virtues of good will, kindness, understanding and love. I wonder, what would World Peace really require? What would True Peace entail? All year long—not just during the holiday season—the Midwives at Goshen Birth Center wear t-shirts that read, “Peace on Earth Begins with Birth.” It is a catchy phrase, and a nice slogan to throw around. But could it really be true? Could our ideas about birth inform the whole way we approach life? There are, in fact, people who dare to believe that the way we view the issue of birth has enormous consequences on our treatment of all human rights issues. There is a group of women who call ourselves the Friends of Goshen Birth Center, who believe that our positive birth experiences have changed us for the better. We are women who want to help carry out the mission of Goshen Birth Center because giving birth in an atmosphere that is encouraging, relaxed and joyful has made us more peaceful individuals and helped us to live out more peaceful lives in our families. We believe every person has a right to begin life in a supportive and loving environment. We believe that women should not have to fear labor and birth, but should be comforted by the experiences of others. We believe in the power of community, courage, knowledge, confidence and joy. We are the Friends of Goshen Birth Center, and we want to share our stories with as many people as possible. Not only do we want to promote Goshen Birth Center and the incredible group of Midwives and nurses who have stood by us as we brought life into the world, but we also want to promote the reality of peaceful, joyful, natural birth and encourage people that a peaceful world needs peaceful hearts, peaceful from the very beginning.

By Eleigh Tricker