Quote of the Week: Kurt Vonnegut

"Hello, babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you've got about a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies—God damn it, you've got to be kind."
-God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, Kurt Vonnegut

Husband and I have been talking about children lately (our new neighbor is a month into her third trimester and is so sweet and so excited), which has gotten my mom and I talking about decorating a nursery. My first concept was Alice in Wonderland but it got to be far too theme park-like and elaborate in my head. My mom, as always, was a settling influence: she suggested a library. I want something cute that introduces things I love to my baby from an early age but, as my mom reminded me, I also need baby to sleep in this room. Libraries are places of joy and imagination but they're also quiet and calming. I swear, this relates to the quote.

Vonnegut's main character prepares this little speech for his neighbors' twins. I find it to be a simple but beautiful summary of human life. We're here on this planet for a limited time and the place itself is the way it is. It is round and wet and crowded. Being kind may not be the rule (enough people seem to ignore it if it is) but it should be. We'd be a lot better off if all babies were greeted with this, if the need for kindness was consistently reinforced throughout their lives. Mine will: I plan to have this cross-stitched and framed above the crib.