The Process

One of the most adverse, yet beautiful things that two people can go through together is child birth. The mother is in great pain and her body is doing things that are nothing short of miraculous. The child is struggling to quickly adapt to being forced out of the comfort and familiarity of its mother's womb into a strange environment where he/she is vulnerable and afraid. That miracle of birth creates a bond that is unlikely to be broken throughout both the life of the mother and the life of the child. The aches and pains of carrying the child that the mother has to endure coupled with the changes and metamorphosis that the baby goes through cannot be compared to anything else in the world.

It's important to note that it is my belief that nothing in the world compares to the majestic beauty of child birth and the difficulties associated with it. However, there is a correlation between the bond that is created through the adversity of child birth and the bond that is created through the adversity of joining a fraternity or sorority.

Hey, stop cursing at me! Let me try to explain.

While the levels of adversity and the strength of the bonds are astronomically different and light years apart from being the same thing, the concept of the two processes share some similarities.

Indulge me if you will....

Let's look at a fraternity/sorority as a mother who has given birth to millions of brothers and sisters throughout the years and let's see the aspirants of the fraternity/sorority at first as suitors. When the fraternity/sorority has informational sessions or smokers, the suitors(aspirants) dress up in their best attire and put on their best demeanor in order to attract the mother(fraternity/sorority). As the night progresses,conversations are held in order for both parties to learn more about one another.

After the two have gotten more acquainted and they have decided to see each other again, a kind of courtship begins.You know,it's that awkward period between expressing your interest and wondering if you've been accepted to join, where you try to be on your best behavior because you never know who's watching and what you might do stupidly to jeopardize your chances? Yeah, that courtship.

After awhile, the courtship is consummated(you've been accepted). Well, that consummation results in a "pregnancy" of sorts. By that I mean the mother has taken on new life and will have to nurture it in her womb (shop or some call it session). Then there will be a gestation period between being an aspirant and a becoming a full fledged member. Most people know it as the pledging process. During this process the aspirant goes through several changes and at times has to endure some very adverse conditions. However, the process usually involves multiples "eggs", also known as line brothers and line sisters. It is during these adverse times that the eggs form a bond of their own that usually cannot be broken by anyone or anything. As the weeks of "incubation" roll along, the eggs start to grow into "babies" and start to resemble the mother(image of the fraternity/sorority). They also start to form that unbreakable bond with the mother.

Pretty soon those eggs are ready to hatch(cross the burning sands), and as they are pushed out of the mother's womb they are introduced into a whole new way of life called Greekdom. They have to take what they learned during their gestation period and apply it to the way that they carry themselves as they are a reflection of the mother henceforth. They are no longer protected by being secluded and nurtured by the womb.

However, they were made strong and ready through the adversity of the gestation period and the bonds that they formed created a worldwide support system so they are not afraid to take on the challenges that will come before them. That adversity has given them a sense of pride and responsibility to always represent the mother in a way that is becoming of her. It has instilled in them the desire to carry out her work as she has prescribed and to always give back to her what she has given to them. Which is the gift of "life" as a member of her family so that others may come to know her way and form that same bond.

**Disclaimer: This is in no way, shape or form meant to diminish or downplay the significance of child birth or the difficulties of motherhood. Nor, is this to promote hazing in any organization**

Well, that's the Green Chimp's take on it.....what's yours?