No matter the reason, the bottom line is I took a life.
I made the choice. I took it.
The circumstances were terrible and scary. The repercussions of having a baby would be major. I was so scared.
I’ll never forget the nurse’s face when she told me I was pregnant. As she watched my dawning horror, she immediately switched gears and said “Planned Parenthood is down the street. They can help you.”
And just like that, the choice was presented. And just like that, because an “out” was there, I desperately clung to it.
Here’s the thing though…
If it hadn’t been legal and accessible, I probably would have a 19 year old.
And I know that my life would very different. I’m SO aware of that. Yet, every time I see my 3 daughters now, I know there should be four. I also know that my current family was built on the death of another. It’s tragic.
Abortion is a permanent solution to a temporary set of circumstances. No matter the reason, at the end of the day abortion kills a child. Not only that, it has lifelong repercussions for the woman who chooses.
For me, it’s not longer guilt, shame, and regret. It’s sadness. It’s devastation. It’s responsibility.
It is not a woman’s (or a man’s for that matters) right to kill another person.
And because I know I’ll get comments…
•96.5% of abortions are based on preference, not rape, health issues, etc.
•Ectopic pregnancy removal is NOT an abortion.
•Yes, we need to support women through and after pregnancies. There are tons of organizations that do that. But most importantly, this is a separate issue. (If you are local to me, First Care Women’s Clinic supplies all needs! It’s where I went through post-abortive counseling and training to support women in crisis.)
•In order to argue quality of life, there must BE life.
•Killing a child based on potential circumstances isn’t compassion, it’s killing.
•Abortion isn’t safe. 100% of the time it kills a child. Not to mention potential risks for the mother.
•Instead of arguing to kill a child because he/she may end up in foster care or adoption, go be a foster parent or advocate or adopt a child. (Side note: I am a certified foster parent.)
•Humans are fallible.