Time is running out for my friend. While we are sitting at lunch, she casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family." What she means is that her biological clock has begun its countdown, and she is being forced to consider the prospect of motherhood.
"We're taking a survey," she says, half joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?"
"It will change your life," I say carefully, keeping my tone neutral.
"I know," she says. "No more sleeping in on Saturdays, no more spontaneous vacations......"
But that is not what I mean at all. I try to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes: that the physical wounds of childbearing heal, but that becoming a mother will leave an emotional wound so raw that she will be forever vulnerable. I consider warning her that she will never read a newspaper again without asking, "What if that had been my child?" That every plane crash, every fire, will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.
I look at her manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mommy!" will cause her to drop her best crystal without a moment's hesitation.
I feel I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an
I want my friend to know that everyday decisions will no longer be routine. That a 5-year-old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at a restaurant will become a major dilemma. That issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in the rest room. However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.
Looking at my attractive friend, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same
My friend's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks. I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is always careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his son or daughter. I think she should know that she will fall in love with her husband again for reasons she now finds very unromantic.
I want to describe to my friend the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to hit a baseball. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real it hurts.
My friend's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I say finally. Then, squeezing my friend's hand, I offer a prayer for her and for me and all the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this holiest of callings.
相关单词：casually
casually解释：adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地
casually例句：
She remarked casually that she was changing her job.她当时漫不经心地说要换工作。
I casually mentioned that I might be interested in working abroad.我不经意地提到我可能会对出国工作感兴趣。
相关单词：prospect
prospect解释：n.前景，前途；景色，视野
prospect例句：
This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。
相关单词：stylish
stylish解释：adj.流行的，时髦的；漂亮的，气派的
stylish例句：
He's a stylish dresser.他是个穿着很有格调的人。
What stylish women are wearing in Paris will be worn by women all over the world.巴黎女性时装往往会引导世界时装潮流。
相关单词：primitive
primitive解释：adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物
primitive例句：
It is a primitive instinct to flee a place of danger.逃离危险的地方是一种原始本能。
His book describes the march of the civilization of a primitive society.他的著作描述了一个原始社会的开化过程。
相关单词：cub
cub解释：n.幼兽，年轻无经验的人
cub例句：
The lion cub's mother was hunting for what she needs. 这只幼师的母亲正在捕猎。
The cub licked the milk from its mother's breast. 这头幼兽吸吮着它妈妈的奶水。
相关单词：hesitation
hesitation解释：n.犹豫，踌躇
hesitation例句：
After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。
相关单词：dilemma
dilemma解释：n.困境，进退两难的局面
dilemma例句：
I am on the horns of a dilemma
He was thrown into a dilemma.他陷入困境。
相关单词：gender
gender解释：n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性
gender例句：
French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。
相关单词：molester
molester解释：
molester例句：
A nationwide manhunt for an alleged child molester is over. 一个全国搜捕骚扰儿童的行动告一段落。 来自互联网
Did the molester penetrate the child? 这名性骚扰者插进小孩的身体了吗？ 来自互联网
相关单词：lurking
lurking解释：潜在
lurking例句：
Why are you lurking around outside my house? 你在我房子外面鬼鬼祟祟的，想干什么？
There is a suspicious man lurking in the shadows. 有一可疑的人躲在阴暗中。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
相关单词：pregnancy
pregnancy解释：n.怀孕，怀孕期
pregnancy例句：
Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。
相关单词：belly
belly解释：n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛
belly例句：
The boss has a large belly.老板大腹便便。
His eyes are bigger than his belly.他眼馋肚饱。
相关单词：touching
touching解释：adj.动人的，使人感伤的
touching例句：
It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
His letter was touching.他的信很感人。
相关单词：mere
mere解释：adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
mere例句：
That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
