I can't imagine what it would be like to have to deal with the death of a child. Even though the loss of my father was -- and continues to be -- an almost unbearable pain, the loss of a parent is not the same as the loss of one's own child. Unfortunately, a lot of Chinese parents are feeling that pain now, after the magnitude 7.9 earthquake that struck the Sichuan province of central China.

China's one-child policy means that many families have lost their one and only child -- families that have never considered having a second child. According to Slate magazine, these parents would be permitted to have another child, but it's not always that simple. Many parents are past the age where having another child is considered possible, and then there is the cost, a real consideration for the poor farmers in Sichuan province.

While I'm sure any parent would gladly sacrifice this if it meant getting their child back, in China, children are expected to care for their parents in their old age. Now, many have lost that security. Certainly, a beloved child could never be replaced, but after losing their only child, I suspect many parents will be considering having a second child, if they can.

The Sichuan earthquake has devastated more than just buildings; families have been destroyed as well. Perhaps, however, the joy of another child can, for some of these couples, soften the pain of their loss.