THE START DATE IN MORTALITY

photo taken about 43 years ago of yours truly

Everyone in this world shares one thing in common. We all have a "start" date.. or in other words a Birthday. Due to this mortal realm, we all have an "end" date as well. (There are a few exceptions however). Today happens to be the day I recognize my "start date". I plan to go up on the slopes and go snowboarding today.
However, before I take off, I wanted to share something that I  read yesterday in a book I am reading. I found it very interesting.

From the book the Castaways:

"There's a tribe in Africa that counts a child's birthday from the day it first appears as a thought in it's mother's mind. On that day, the woman sits under a tree and quietly listens and waits until she can hear the song of her child. When she has heard the song, she returns to her village and teachs it to the child's father, so that they can sing the song when they are together and make love, inviting the child to join them.

The expectant mother then sings the song to the child in her womb and teaches it to the midwives, who sing it when the child is born. All the villagers learn the child's song as well, so that whenever the child cries or hurts itself, they can pick the child up, hold it in their arms and sing the song. The song is also sung when the young person goes through a rite of passage, when he or she marries, and one last time when he or she is about to die."

Individualized love, conveyed to each child through "their song" from preconception to death strengthens identity, belonging and self-worth. Could implementing a similiar patten "heal" the problems we see in today's youth?