The abortion debate is not an easy topic to discuss because there is passion for the issue on both sides of the aisle. I am not here to debate. I am not here to judge. I am simply here to share my thoughts and opinions on the subject. I just want you to understand why I believe the way I do.
Everyone wants their voice to be heard when it comes to this subject but who will speak for the innocent? You see, I believe that life begins at conception and because of that, the very act of abortion becomes an issue of morality. We have our choices to make as viable adults. But what choice does that beautiful baby have in the decision to live or die?
I believe our choice as humans must come in the form of compassion. Those lacking compassion will try to make you believe that those tiny little cells coming together in the most perfect and intricate ways are simply jumbled masses of matter that mean nothing in the pathway to life. But nothing could be further from the truth. We know from scientific evidence that babies begin forming in the womb very early on and can even sense and respond to things outside of the womb.
Now let me speak directly to the women reading this because I know what some of you are saying right now. But Terri, it's my body. It's my choice. No one has a right to tell me what I can or cannot do with my body.
Hey, I get it. I really do. Because I felt exactly the same way.
I was raised to be a strong, independent woman and with that independence also came a little bit of arrogance. I believed, as I still do, that men and women should be treated equally and given the same opportunities for success. I also believed that, as a woman, no man (or woman) had any right to tell me what I could do with my own body.
In fact, I was so passionate about the subject that I wrote an article about a woman's right to choose that was published in my High School Newspaper. I remember writing at the time that we lived in a country where choice was our freedom and to impose your belief's on someone else would be a direct violation of our given freedoms. I was passionate. I gave every argument for the right to choose and wrote eloquently and efficiently why we needed the government to stay out of our reproductive rights. (Sound familiar? Keep in mind - this was back in the late 1980's).
I held that belief for many years after high school and even into my mid-twenties.
And then - something changed. Something drastically changed.
At the age of 25, after 5 years of marriage, my husband and I decided to start a family. So I stopped taking the Pill (you know, that one way to PREVENT pregnancy) and waited for the news of my pregnancy. And waited. And waited.
We waited for months but the news of a pregnancy never came. I think I cornered the market on pregnancy tests during that time as we anxiously waited for that precious life to begin. But months went by and still nothing. Almost a year had passed when my doctor finally prescribed fertility drugs to "speed the process along". And then it happened, we finally received a positive result on that little stick! And that precious life began growing inside of me.
We had an ultrasound at 19 weeks and I remember seeing my baby girls little arms and legs and watching her perfect little heart beat. She was a beautiful human being and I was so in love with her already. My entire pregnancy was filled with new experiences and so much raw emotion as I watched this tiny human begin to grow and thrive until she was finally ready to make her appearance into this world. And she was perfect. And all I could remember on that day was she was going to do great things in her lifetime and I had a small part in that (well, my husband helped too, I guess).
I think it was in that moment that it truly hit me. THIS was what choice was about for me As a woman, as a human being, I had a choice in this beautiful child's life and I could now watch her conquer the world.
Less than two years later, we would make the decision to add to our family and it was in that moment that I would experience the great loss of a child when I suffered a miscarriage with our second baby. Although I only shared my body with that baby for less than 12 weeks, the pain was no less real. I had already bonded with that little one and started dreaming of my daughter being a big sister and wondering if this baby would look like her. There was a heartbeat. There was a baby. And now there was nothing. Except a void in my heart.
God was good to us as He always is and blessed us with our amazing baby boy just a few months later and so our family was complete. He was perfect. And again, my husband and I had accomplished a miracle in this precious baby boy. (And by the way, he looked exactly like his sister).
And so my thoughts and ideals began to change I began to feel empowered. Who else on this planet can create a Human Baby inside their body and nurture that child until he or she is ready to make their appearance? What an amazing accomplishment! We are women, hear us roar!
I think too many times in the argument for or against abortion, the one part that gets forgotten is that beautiful little baby just waiting to see the world.
Look - I understand the Pro-Choice argument. I lived it for many years. And I firmly believe that more needs to be done to provide affordable contraceptives so the choice can come earlier not later. But I will also ask you to research completely Planned Parenthood and ask yourself why they so strongly push abortion over prevention? Follow the money trail. Do your own homework so you can make your own decision. Seek out the facts.
For me, the decision was easy. One look at that ultrasound; one moment to see that little hand move. There was life displayed on that computer monitor. A beautiful, tiny, miraculous life waiting to take on the world.
Who are we to deny that life?
Everyone wants their voice to be heard when it comes to this subject but who will speak for the innocent? You see, I believe that life begins at conception and because of that, the very act of abortion becomes an issue of morality. We have our choices to make as viable adults. But what choice does that beautiful baby have in the decision to live or die?
I believe our choice as humans must come in the form of compassion. Those lacking compassion will try to make you believe that those tiny little cells coming together in the most perfect and intricate ways are simply jumbled masses of matter that mean nothing in the pathway to life. But nothing could be further from the truth. We know from scientific evidence that babies begin forming in the womb very early on and can even sense and respond to things outside of the womb.
Now let me speak directly to the women reading this because I know what some of you are saying right now. But Terri, it's my body. It's my choice. No one has a right to tell me what I can or cannot do with my body.
Hey, I get it. I really do. Because I felt exactly the same way.
I was raised to be a strong, independent woman and with that independence also came a little bit of arrogance. I believed, as I still do, that men and women should be treated equally and given the same opportunities for success. I also believed that, as a woman, no man (or woman) had any right to tell me what I could do with my own body.
In fact, I was so passionate about the subject that I wrote an article about a woman's right to choose that was published in my High School Newspaper. I remember writing at the time that we lived in a country where choice was our freedom and to impose your belief's on someone else would be a direct violation of our given freedoms. I was passionate. I gave every argument for the right to choose and wrote eloquently and efficiently why we needed the government to stay out of our reproductive rights. (Sound familiar? Keep in mind - this was back in the late 1980's).
I held that belief for many years after high school and even into my mid-twenties.
And then - something changed. Something drastically changed.
At the age of 25, after 5 years of marriage, my husband and I decided to start a family. So I stopped taking the Pill (you know, that one way to PREVENT pregnancy) and waited for the news of my pregnancy. And waited. And waited.
We waited for months but the news of a pregnancy never came. I think I cornered the market on pregnancy tests during that time as we anxiously waited for that precious life to begin. But months went by and still nothing. Almost a year had passed when my doctor finally prescribed fertility drugs to "speed the process along". And then it happened, we finally received a positive result on that little stick! And that precious life began growing inside of me.
We had an ultrasound at 19 weeks and I remember seeing my baby girls little arms and legs and watching her perfect little heart beat. She was a beautiful human being and I was so in love with her already. My entire pregnancy was filled with new experiences and so much raw emotion as I watched this tiny human begin to grow and thrive until she was finally ready to make her appearance into this world. And she was perfect. And all I could remember on that day was she was going to do great things in her lifetime and I had a small part in that (well, my husband helped too, I guess).
I think it was in that moment that it truly hit me. THIS was what choice was about for me As a woman, as a human being, I had a choice in this beautiful child's life and I could now watch her conquer the world.
Less than two years later, we would make the decision to add to our family and it was in that moment that I would experience the great loss of a child when I suffered a miscarriage with our second baby. Although I only shared my body with that baby for less than 12 weeks, the pain was no less real. I had already bonded with that little one and started dreaming of my daughter being a big sister and wondering if this baby would look like her. There was a heartbeat. There was a baby. And now there was nothing. Except a void in my heart.
God was good to us as He always is and blessed us with our amazing baby boy just a few months later and so our family was complete. He was perfect. And again, my husband and I had accomplished a miracle in this precious baby boy. (And by the way, he looked exactly like his sister).
And so my thoughts and ideals began to change I began to feel empowered. Who else on this planet can create a Human Baby inside their body and nurture that child until he or she is ready to make their appearance? What an amazing accomplishment! We are women, hear us roar!
I think too many times in the argument for or against abortion, the one part that gets forgotten is that beautiful little baby just waiting to see the world.
Look - I understand the Pro-Choice argument. I lived it for many years. And I firmly believe that more needs to be done to provide affordable contraceptives so the choice can come earlier not later. But I will also ask you to research completely Planned Parenthood and ask yourself why they so strongly push abortion over prevention? Follow the money trail. Do your own homework so you can make your own decision. Seek out the facts.
For me, the decision was easy. One look at that ultrasound; one moment to see that little hand move. There was life displayed on that computer monitor. A beautiful, tiny, miraculous life waiting to take on the world.
Who are we to deny that life?
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