There are social phenomena that deserve our pause, not because they are beautiful, but because they call for reflection and revision. Among the most prominent of these phenomena is what happens in some hospitals after the birth of a new child in terms of welcoming parties.

Related news

Only a few hours pass until the mother's room turns into a place crowded with balloons decorating the place, flowers, giveaways, trays of chocolates, Arabic coffee, tea, juices, and servants moving among visitors, as if the place has turned into a reception hall, not a hospital treating patients. Here one finds oneself asking: Is this a patient room or a wedding hall?

No one objects to the joy of a new baby; it is a blessing that deserves praise, thanks, congratulations, and prayers. But the problem begins when joy turns into disturbance, and when the entire hospital is expected to live the details of the occasion against its will. The visitor does not come to bless, check on, and then leave, but rather sits for long hours as if attending a major social event. A group enters and another leaves, then a new group arrives, until the place becomes crowded with visitors. Voices rise, laughter abounds, while the mother who has just given birth needs rest more than she needs to receive dozens of visitors, and the newborn needs tranquility, not a crowd of faces and sounds.

In the next room, a patient just out of surgery seeks a few minutes of sleep, an elderly person fatigued by the slightest sound, a child in pain, and a companion who has not tasted rest for days. All of these pay the price for a joy that does not belong to them, and they cannot object to it.

The matter does not stop at noise and crowding but extends to perfumes and incense that visitors bring with them, so the rooms and corridors fill with mixed scents that may be appropriate in gatherings, but inside a hospital they can become a burden on a patient suffering from allergies, shortness of breath, or having just come out of surgery.

Then the photography party begins: pictures with the mother, pictures with the newborn, selfies, live streaming, and videos of every corner, until photography dominates the atmosphere of the occasion.

And stranger still, some families may overspend on decorations, giveaways, and hospitality, so that attention to the trappings of celebration becomes greater than focusing on the simplicity and meaning of the occasion.

In conclusion: Joy is a blessing, and no one calls for its abolition, but the most beautiful joy is simple, elegant, and respects the feelings of others. [email protected]