Not choosing is a choice

For the first years I was married there were lots of people minding my business. People I felt I barely knew would say things like, “When are you two going to have a baby?” Needless to say I found this rude and was hard pressed to think of a civil reply, even though I had it happen quite a few times. What if there was some physical problem that I might not wish to discuss with the world? What if my husband and I were in disagreement over the issue? What if I just did not want children? There are innumerable reasons why this is not a good question.
Now I am seeing another aspect of the children issue. It seems to be a badge of honor when a couple has 5 or 6 children. In this day and time when any thinking person can see natural resources dwindling worldwide, I feel like asking a rude question, too. Why did you have so many?
Let’s be clear here: any two normally functioning adults can produce a child. It takes a lot of effort and much luck to raise that child to be a responsible, caring, thinking adult. And even with sustained effort sometimes it works out badly.
I do not wish to mistreat anyone in the way that I was mistreated. I think that couples should not have their choices called into question. But it should be remembered that choosing to do nothing is still a choice.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/03/rosen.palin/index.html