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The Baby Boom (A personal perspective of the Grey Tower and
Family Life)
It has been noticed that in recent years there have been a noted number of Aes Sedai pregnancies and births. There has been much speculation as the why, especially when compared to the known statistics of the White Tower. This report shall strive to examine those possible reasons. First of all, practicality; although not officially documented, it is a well-known theory that channelers beget channelers, especially a child of two parents able to wield the One Power. Children born to channelers are more likely to be born with the ability, and with the number of babies with the Spark forever decreasing, as has been stated, it seems only reasonable for channelers to bear children. As well as children born within the tower environment are more likely to be apt to the life style and the training. Secondly, human nature; this is the greatest comparison between the two towers. The White Tower is more about it's own legendary status then about the people within it, the Grey Tower is more about being human. We are a younger tower with more liberal views; this is not a bad thing, simply different from the conservatism of the Ages and the Older Tower. We view ourselves as people, not paragons; just because we have chosen this life and become Aes Sedai, Asha'man and Gaidin, it does mean we were able, want to or should have to, leave our desires, drives and nature behind. Thirdly, statistics; there is simply more men in positions of equality at the Grey Tower, the White Tower wrongly view the men of their tower, which in their case is limited to Gaidin, as men in service. At the Grey Tower, we are all equal, which lends it to human relationships developing as nature intends. In further comparison of the Grey Tower to the White Tower, we must view certain things. It is said that many rumors begin with a truth, and there are numerous rumors pertaining to White Tower Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah marrying their warders, or at least laying with them. In observance of the extremely limited ways of preventing pregnancies, the only surefire way to keep from becoming with child is abstinence, and it in not reasonable to assume a couple will not engage in marital relations, therefor we must surmise that these Aes Sedai are getting pregnant. Now, we can only guess two ways of dealing with that inevitability, that the Tower enforces: either these Aes Sedai have found some way of terminating the ungrown child or they enter a period of confinement until birth, where upon they give the child away. This is not a wrong solution, but it serves to illustrate our greater desire to cling to nature. The Grey Tower, small and familiar, strives for our humanity and our society; we do not bend beneath the weight of our own mythos. Our society grows with each child and the families that we find and we make do not show our lack of things to do or determination to our causes and our responsibilties. These marriages, pregnancies and births do not distract us from preparing to combat Tarmon Gai'don when it comes, it only gives us a greater reason to prepare for the fight, gives us greater drive to be ready to battle for the lives we love and the Light we live. |
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