We learned to look forward to that period with the greatest caution.

Often our young women, those to whom motherhood had not yet come, would voluntarily defer it.

When that deep inner demand for a child began to be felt she would deliberately engage in the most active work, physical and mental; and even more important, would solace her longing by the direct care and service of the babies we already had." She paused.

Her wise sweet face grew deeply, reverently tender.
"We soon grew to see that mother-love has more than one channel of expression.

I think the reason our children are so--so fully loved, by all of us, is that we never--any of us--have enough of our own." This seemed to me infinitely pathetic, and I said so.