Of all the news to hit this last week, some of the happiest is that Vice President JD Vance and his wife are expecting a baby.
“We are very excited to share the news that Usha is pregnant with our fourth child, a boy. Usha and the baby are doing well, and we are looking forward to welcoming him in late July,” they shared in their announcement. “During this exciting and hectic time, we are particularly grateful for the military doctors who take excellent care of our family and for the staff members who do so much to ensure that we can serve the country while enjoying a wonderful life with our children.”
Of course, reception of this news was mixed. Some rejoiced, pointing out the uniqueness of a vice president welcoming a baby while in office; others frowned on the news, some even making snide comments that Usha Vance should abort her unborn child. And while I haven’t seen it, it’s highly likely that others commented that the Vances, unlike average Americans, can afford to have another child since they have the money, staff, and position to help them shoulder such a burden.
Such chatter, however, overlooks a key point in this news. The Vances aren’t just bringing a baby into the center of one of the most powerful governments in the world. No, they’re doing something far more important. They are launching the legacy of a tiny soul that may change the world in so many ways – good or bad.
Lest you think this sounds trite, let me share with you the epitaph I came across the same day the Vance baby news was released. The epitaph is found in “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin,” and was erected by that great statesman himself in honor of his parents. It reads:
Josiah Franklin,
and
Abiah his wife,
lie here interred.
They lived lovingly together in wedlock
fifty-five years.
Without an estate, or any gainful employment,
By constant labor and industry,
with God’s blessing,
They maintained a large family
comfortably,
and brought up thirteen children
and seven grandchildren
reputably.
From this instance, reader,
Be encouraged to diligence in thy calling,
And distrust not Providence.
He was a pious and prudent man;
She, a discreet and virtuous woman.
Their youngest son,
In filial regard to their memory,
Places this stone.
Let’s dissect this for a moment. Here we have Franklin honoring his parents for … wealth? Prestige? Governmental power?
Quite the opposite. He specifically lists their lack of earthly riches, choosing to focus instead on their long and faithful marriage, their diligence and hard work, their wisdom and character, and perhaps most importantly, their large family.
Franklin, as we all know, was the straggler in this extensive family. Yet had he not been born – had his parents decided to cut off their childbearing after two, four, or even eight children – America would never know the name Franklin and the writings and inventions he produced.
What’s more, given Franklin’s prominent role in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, there’s a chance we may never have known the blessings and benefits of the free country that’s considered one of the greatest in the world if Mr. and Mrs. Franklin had failed to bring young Benjamin into the world.
In all likelihood, the newest Vance child will share Franklin’s moniker of “baby of the family.” But as Franklin demonstrates, that position can actually hold a lot of weight and prestige, dependent, of course, on how his parents raise him.
And that doesn’t just hold true for the Vance baby or their older three children. Any family can turn out Benjamin Franklins – citizens who bring honor, value, and respect to the role of American citizen. But that will only happen if a child’s parents take the course that Franklin’s did – that of faithful spouses, virtuous parents, and hard-working, diligent citizens.
The Vances appear to be taking on that challenge. The question is, will the rest of us follow their lead?
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This article is republished with permission from The Fred and Rheta Skelton Center for Cultural Renewal.
Image Credit: Vice President JD Vance X account
