The ripple: Our choices

Have you ever seen a body of water when it is raining?  The plopping of the water and the stirred water make a sight that is worth getting a little wet.  Not every raindrop creates the same size of a ripple, but as they fall they cause ripples that affect a lot of the water.  I've been thinking about this a lot recently.  Do my own choices cause ripples?  Can the choices that other people make cause a ripple in my life? 

In my Family 160 class we had a discussion on whether or not the amount of children we have affected other people.  I have always considered this topic a private one between a couple and the Lord, but it was interesting to think that something so private could cause ripples in the lives of other people.  This might seem a little silly to some people but I could see the possibilities of how it applies.  The children we have will grow up in this world, and go on to affect those around them in some degree or another.  On the topic of children there is a great documentary that explains the consequences that having less children actually causes to an economy.  (by less children I mean less than what is needed for positive population growth.)  I think that this is something that we need to be aware of, but ultimately the decision is still personal and comes down to the couple and (in my opinion) the Lord.  Now many people argue that their choices only affect them, but I don't think that is the case.  Can you imagine ripples next to each other that get closer and then just vanish without contact?  I guess what I really am trying to say is that we should be careful with how we treat things around us.  Especially when it comes to marriage, family, and other interpersonal relationships.  Lets be a ripple of good in this life.
More Info:  If you want to learn more about how our choices on fertility affect each other then you should really watch The New Economic Reality: Demographic Winter.  You can find both parts for free here:http://www.byutv.org/show/5e819b00-5e99-4bf4-931e-c154d3c2dc8d/new-economic-reality-demographic-winter