Statue of a mother at the Yasukuni shrine, dedicated to those mothers who lost their husbands in the war but suceeded in raising their children anyway. Erected in 1974.

I raised six children. All that work? WHY?!

It is real. Maybe that is the only reason, I don’t know, but I do know raising children is good because it is real.

1. It is the most awesome privilege. Nothing compares to molding a human being. What could be more significant than the forming of someone, of his being? The joy of knowing they know something because I taught it to them is higher than almost any joy. I think this joy must have caused God to create people in the first place, as it is highly motivating.
2. I was made for it. Although God has kindly given me many talents, I know they are all for my family. Spending all my time and energy on them, and investing all my talent on them is a joy. Seeing them leave the house in crisply-ironed clothing makes me smile. Watching them eat makes me smile. Increasing their benefit makes me smile.
3. They are my opus, the thing I did on this earth to make a difference.
4. They are full of crazy, wonderful, loving zest for life. It is a joy to say, “These people are mine,” and to know it is true in every sense of the words.
5. It returns. I see them love their children more beautifully than I could have imagined. I see them re-discover their love for me, too, and it gives me such peace as I never knew existed.

It saddens me that the world is so messed up that children could be living in horrific pain. I want all the mistreated children. I want them to be mine. I would watch them eat, teach them jokes, and then send them out in ironed clothes.

It would be my joy.