***Author’s
note:
I
struggled with whether or not I would even right this. The topic of
abortion is always on my mind, but after what was being celebrated in
New York recently, I knew I couldn’t keep silent anymore. So many
have written much about all this and with words more eloquent and
meaningful than mine. I decided to write these letters for
two reasons. First, as is often the case for me,
writing is a way for me to process my thoughts
and emotions. The second reason is simply that this bothers
me so much, I would be going against my own conscience not to
write.
I
have two questions, for all those who
support abortion (and let’s all be adults here and not use soft,
vague euphemistic terms), shall we? Let’s call it what it actually
is, murder. First, using accurate words and
descriptions, could you tell your own child, niece or nephew or
student, about what you support? Could you tell them, in vivid
accurate detail, what is done to the child? Could you tell them why
it is done, not omitting the more selfish reasons like simply
not wanting a child right now or not wanting one’s body shape to
change? What would you answer if they looked at you and asked
“Would you have done that to me?” Do you really think that they
will feel any safer about the world simply because you or their
parent chose, in this particular case, to let them live? Aren’t
they lucky! Their brother or sister or friend’s sibling, might not
be so lucky.
Second,
why is at birth the cut off point? Why not after birth? What’s
the difference? Why is that child’s life suddenly and mysteriously
now valued, once they’ve come through the birth
canal? If there ever comes a point where it’s decided that life
can be ended up to some arbitrary time after birth,
what’s to keep that time from growing? One day, one week, one
month, one year, 5 years? Longer? Why stop at children?
End
Author’s Note***
To
The Unborn:
As a
mother, it grieves and pains me that I even have to write this
letter. I am so very sorry. Those words sound so shallow and
useless and in the face of what is and has been happening for such a
long time, I suppose that really is what they are. It truly sickens
me that I have to say these things and stumble over my words, trying
to find a way to apologize for how many of your lives, have been and
are being, brutally cut short. And how can one, in any meaningful
way, ever apologize for such an insane act of violence?
I am
sorry! I am sorry that you are not valued. I am sorry that you are
not seen as the blessing you truly are. I am sorry that you are not
wanted, desired or deemed worthy of overcoming what difficulties
might arise from your birth. I’m sorry that we, as a society, put
our convenience, comfort and needs above yours.
I am
sorry that your lives are ended due to the circumstances of your
coming into being, your gender, race or medical diagnosis. I am
sorry that your lives are ended, even when there are families who
would love nothing more than to adopt you and make you a part of
theirs. I am sorry that your lives are seen as expendable and not
worth protecting. I am sorry that we, as a society, value puppies
and kittens much more than we value you. I am so sorry that there
are many who celebrate the end of your lives, as a freedom and choice
of others to make. I am sorry that your mothers are not valued
enough to be told the truth, that being your mother is the most
beautiful and incredible and empowering gift they could be given! I
am sorry that, while your mother’s womb should be the safest place
you could be, it has become, for many of you, a place where your life
was ended in methods more brutal than we would tolerate for animals.
I am
trying. I want you to know that I will never stop fighting for you.
Through my written words and what I say, I will do my best to make
people acknowledge you and what is being done to so many of you. I
will adopt as many as I and my family are able. I will not forget
you. I will mourn for you, while many celebrate your deaths. I will
mourn for the person you should have gotten the chance to be. I pray
that God will break our hearts for what we are doing. He alone can
forgive and restore us.
With
grate sadness,
A
grieving Mother
To
Jon and Lexy:
My
two wonderful children, I wish I didn’t have to write this letter
to you. I pray that perhaps a day will come when what I say here
will no longer be true in America, the place which we brought you, so
that you could be a part of our family. I wish you would never
have to learn what the word abortion means. Lexy, when you first
heard of a miscarriage and came to understand what that meant, you
were rightly, so sad. I hate that one day, probably all to soon, you
will learn that many babies are killed on purpose.
I
hate so much that you will learn that mothers and fathers, who should
be doing everything in their power to keep their babies safe, are
more often than not the ones who decide to end the life of their
child. You will soon learn that there are doctors, who instead of
helping people feel better, inflict severe pain on babies before
ending their lives and cause much fear and discomfort to their
mothers. You will soon see that so many people rejoice over these
things. I’m so sorry that you have to grow up in a place where
this is seen as liberating, open-minded and empowering for women. I
am so sorry that you have to grow up in a place where life is not
treasured and given the dignity it deserves. I wish you didn’t
live in a country where we so regularly discard the most vulnerable
members.
I
want you both to know that this is not okay! This is not how God
designed things to be! I want you to know that your father and I,
and so many others, are not accepting this as normal. Just as your
lives matter, so do the lives of all children and their parents.
Both children and their parents, deserve so much more than these
lies!
Jon
and Lexy, we are doing all that we can. Now you may understand
another reason why we are always talking about adoption. It is a way
that we can do something to combat all this. I am so overjoyed that,
in spite of their difficulties, your birth mothers didn’t listen to
the lie. I’m so glad they chose to let you live; we would have
been robbed of something so precious if they hadn’t.
I
love you both so much! I pray that when you grow up, you will be
champions of life. I pray that you will find ways to support and
strengthen mothers, fathers and their children. I pray that you will
value all life, as we are all created in God’s image. I will be
there, right alongside you in this endeavor.
With
Much Love,
