I recently became an uncle to a beautiful niece. Yes, after 20 years on this planet I am no longer the youngest in my immediate family and I can’t wait to see her grow and develop. She is a new life and has a whole world of potential ahead of her.

Now, even though she is only a few weeks old, I have realized quite a few things about the world and what I value since hearing about my sister in-law’s pregnancy. However, now that she is here I have seen a whole new world of love and compassion open up. So here is my story about how the birth of my niece has changed me.

Before, I thought love was exclusive to a few select individuals. To me, your spouse, parents, and siblings were the main focus of all of your love. I thought nothing was more important than your familial bonds.

However, when I was told that she would be coming I found a love for everything and everyone, and I began to see beauty in everything and everyone out of excitement. I came to the conclusion that the world I see is the same world that she will grow up in and the people in it are the same that will surround her.

This means that just as I see beauty in her potential and just as I will love and nurture her I also need to see the potential in others and love those who will nurture and take part in her life as well. I realized that love extends to everyone, even my enemies because they too have people in their life.

They also love. They are also human. Since her birth, I have seen a decline in my cynicism and my appreciation for even the furthest away stranger has increased ten-fold.

I don’t want to get all political but this love extends to the unborn. After I saw the minuscule pictures of the ultrasound even the small blobby outline of her body made me fall in love.

I couldn’t even imagine eliminating something like that. I could see what would eventually become her arms, feet, and ears and it breaks my heart that beings in her state, at that time, never get to breathe their first breath.

This hasn’t changed my opinion on abortion however for the most part. I’ve always been ideally, and for lack of a better term, pro-life, but I recognize that people will continue to perform abortions regardless of legality.

So I support its’ being legal to make it safer and more humane, yet I do not want my tax dollars to go towards it. It's just that thinking about my niece in her various womb stages I realized that I loved her even though I had not met her because she shares my brother's blood but is something entirely different than that. If you ask me, that is a beautiful thing. This has made me disagree with and dislike the practice of abortion even more.

Overall, I am excited to be an uncle and for all of the perks and events that come with it. I am excited to watch my family grow and I am excited to babysit and take that kid to the park. Above all else, I am excited to start a family of my own.