The birth of a child is so often referred to as the miracle of life.   As we watch a new life come into this world, we are awed by the design and wonder of the whole process.  This is true, regardless of our specific religious beliefs.  The teachings of Spiritism, however, through it's lessons in the immortality and multiple [material] existences of the soul, adds to our amazement and appreciation for the meaning of birth.  For the parents of the child, the event is especially meaningful.  It represents, for them, an enormous responsibility with which they have been entrusted, for this spirit, their child, will depend on the parents for the loving care, education, and moral guidance that will prepare the growing child for the experiences he or she will face throughout the spirit's incarnation.  Likewise, the event often represents a chance for the spirit of the child and the spirit of one or more of its parents or other family members to develop a love through which they can repair some kind of discord between them, caused by events of a previous existence.  Here we'll look at some of what is involved in the spirit's return to Earth, both in preparation for the next material journey, as well as the period of union with the material body.