Changing lives

When I was pregnant, several people I respected said to me; "The best thing I ever did in my life was have kids". I found it hard to get my head around this comment. I thought of the child as an independent person who would do their own thing. I had hopes and dreams of what I wanted to achieve in my life and as such, didn't think the very best thing would be having the child.
What about those career highs?
What about those amazing travel stories?
While wanting to have children at some time in my life, I found it a hard choice to make. I felt that it would mean putting on hold what I could do. I would not be able to achieve things anymore as I would need to look after this helpless baby. I thought I would be signing out of making any sort of meaningful contribution to society for a bit.
I always felt that I needed to do something that would make a lasting change in society. I hadn't achieved it quite yet but now it would have to wait until after my baby had grown up enough not to need so much from me.
How wrong I was.
I am amazed at how much an under three year old can offer to others. She has talked to people, I haven't been brave enough to reach out to. She is a carefree, happy child who does as she pleases and in doing so pleases many people.
No one in thirty-four years after meeting me for a mere few minutes, has said, "I'm so glad I met you today". She can motivate a room of people to become involved and to enjoy it. She can turn heavy hearts to smiles - at least for a short while.
And amazingly it was because of her, I was inspired to cause a wee change in my part of the world. A small footnote in the local history.
She is no angel.
But I am almost at the stage of saying "The best thing I ever did in my life is have kids."
They maybe small, but they can work wonders.