The Beautiful Innocence of Babies

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The Beautiful Innocence of Babies

Happy 100! I can't believe this is the 100th post of this newsletter series. And that I am still doing it. Time flies, doesn't it? But it has been therapeutic for me during a very challenging time for us humans. It has helped me stay centered and reminded me each week to look harder for what is more good than bad. In the process, I’ve discovered silver linings and perspectives I can hold on to when so much is in transition.

Many of you have been there from the beginning. I am beyond grateful for your outpouring of support and your willingness to offer your own perspectives. This would have been a completely meaningless effort without you. Please continue and please invite others to join. A better dialogue and a more civil conversation is what we desperately need. And if we don't change the conversation, who will?

Last week, I wrote about a more capacious heart. With the loud and terrible news surrounding us, I think it is more important than ever to focus our attention on our capacity for love.

And while I was in that mindset, I was fortunate to bear witness to dear friends welcoming new grandchildren and others who celebrated the wedding of their daughter. It was a week filled with that special kind of love that babies and weddings so wonderfully transmit. So, it got me thinking. What is it that makes babies and weddings so special?

Innocence, I think, is the answer. Innocence, as in freedom from any guilt, regret, or shame. Unadulterated optimism.

A wedding marks the start of a new chapter where two people come together to create their own new reality. Similar to a new baby. They are also both the result of the dreams of their parents. They are like completely untouched, unmolded, and unincumbered pieces of clay. Anything and everything can happen. They are the essence of opportunity, hope, and love. Weddings and babies are, of course, often also tightly linked.

Our modern culture has a lot to learn from babies. None of our current problems are their fault. But they will be their burden. So, from a purely moral standpoint, we, the current generation in charge, have a responsibility to clean up some of our mess. I mean, it's not ok to leave the world like THIS, is it?

But more than just our responsibility to them, we also have even more to learn from their innocence. When do we lose it? And why?

Babies and young toddlers are creative, innovative, and free from judgment. They are fearless in their desire to try new things. They don't care about religion, race, or whoever people want to be. They just care about who they are.

I also think, perhaps naively, that the world at large is more compassionate and cares more about babies than somewhat older humans. Perhaps it is because we know, from our own experience, how imperfect humans are and that we'd better invest our hopes in the next generation? Or maybe it is because we hope that they will complete the legacy we leave behind? And that, hopefully, they can make up for the many projects and ideas that we didn't pursue, didn't finish, or dreams left to be realized? I am not sure about the exact logic, but there is no denial about the unconditional love directed at babies.

Sadly, we seem to be having fewer babies than ever. Consider this chart. It depicts fertility rates in OECD countries from 1970 until today. It is generally known that if a country has a fertility rate below 2.1 population will fall over time in that country (immigration and abnormal variation in death rates excluded).

First, to be clear this is not only about how many babies are being born. There are basically three factors that affect population growth and decline. How many babies are being born, how many immigrants are being welcomed, and how many people are dying. Unfortunately, we have a problem with all three.

Less population growth is also not only bad news or the result of negative influences. Economic development, fewer wars, better medicine, increased availability of family planning, etc. have resulted in people feeling more comfortable having fewer children. Furthermore, from an environmental footprint standpoint, it is also good news. But it is also striking that more people want fewer babies across the developed world.

As one data point, many people expected that COVID would result in a baby boom as so many people were trapped at home. Much like how conception increases during colder months. But, so far the opposite seems to be true. Fertility rates have dropped further. This chronic, global anxiety, it seems, has been effective birth control. It's possible that we might get an uptick coming out of the pandemic when some people might start feeling more optimistic about the future. I do hope so, as I think more babies typically is a sign of more optimism and excitement for our future. It’s a litmus test for how we feel.

Also, if you want to understand more about population growth, I am sharing an excellent Atlantic piece by Derek Thompson. To me, given the unique history and fabric of America, as we experience a shrinking population, we really ought to radically increase the number of immigrants we welcome to this great country of ours. He says: "America’s bias against immigration is self-defeating in almost every dimension."

But, coming back to innocence. What if we could channel more of our inner babies attitudinally? Treat all people like they were babies and interpret the world around us more like we were. Less judgment. More appetite. Perhaps even more sleep!

And that brings me naturally to mothers. I have been involved with efforts to launch and promote food and products that are "better for you" (healthier, less environmental impact, etc.) for many years. In the process, I have observed that pregnant women are special in many ways. Typically, when we start bearing (literally) the responsibility for another human being's life, we start being more discriminating, discerning, and more interested in products that we trust are being carefully curated and made with only the safest and best ingredients. We become more open-minded, less defensive, and genuinely more interested in "only the best".

I have had the great fortune of supporting and working with many talented entrepreneurs charting new territories and helping people along this way. From way back at Chipotle and Pret A Manger to today with teams at Rōti, ITRIM, Picadeli, Sakara, True Botanicals, Mixt, Unreal Snacks, Nicks, Readout, Seraphina Therapeutics (Fatty15), and many others.

But, perhaps no one has been more vocal, creative, and inspiring than Shazi Visram when it comes to developing products for babies that protect the full potential of every child. She founded the Happy Family Organics brand which she built into a very successful company. Now, she is building HealthyBaby and taking all that she has learned in how to play defense (removing toxins and ingredients that should never touch a human body), as well as offense (making sure our connections with babies are stimulating health and happiness).

I am blessed to be a friend and investor with Shazi. She inspires us every single day. She just launched a podcast for and about babies (or for people that really care about babies). You can check it out here. It's called The Healthy Baby Show. If you want to learn more about Shazi, you can also visit her personal website here.

Finally, Shazi is also very involved and on the board of EWG which is my go-to place for checking out whether or not products you are consuming are safe. Please support them if you can. They do important work. One of my favorite lists they produce each year is the clean and dirty lists. They do research on which fruits and vegetables are best to buy organic and which are acceptable to buy conventionally grown. I prefer ONLY buying organic when I can, but sometimes that is impossible, unaffordable, or both! I find the list of their dirty dozen and clean 15 to be very good to keep on your phone when shopping.

Ok, sorry for the public service announcement. I don't do that often. But we all love babies and we only want what's best for them. And no one I know does more for the health of babies than Shazi, so I thought you should know her!

Here's to the babies in the world. Let's help them have a better future!