After I found out I was pregnant, I immediately began pondering my options. Naturally, abortion crossed my mind, but it didn’t stay long.
I knew that if I decided on abortion, I would be tortured by my choice. I could not comfortably live with myself knowing that I had prevented a child from being born. I didn’t want to be pregnant, but my child didn’t ask to be conceived, either. Now that she was alive, it was my obligation to take care of her so that she could have the opportunity to fulfill her potential.
Frankly, I couldn’t imagine doing something so horrific to my unborn child. Have you ever seen diagrams of how an abortion is performed? It will tear your insides apart. Abortion is literally pulling or sucking a baby out of the mother’s womb. How would it feel to you if someone took giant pliers to your arms and legs and ripped them from your body? And that is the pain every baby is feeling when they are being aborted. Why are we punished for shooting, stabbing, or any other violent act against another person, but not punished for murdering a living being who has simply not yet been born?
What right was it of mine to decide who lives and dies? I believe that decision lies with God only. Do you realize an unborn baby’s heart begins to beat at 6 weeks’ gestation? That is a sure sign of life. I knew I would feel very guilty killing anyone—especially my own child.
Another blessing of choosing adoption over abortion was that I was not only able to give my child the gift of living her life, and myself the peace of mind that I had made a good choice, I was also able to bless a couple with a child they desperately wanted. There are millions of aching, empty arms waiting to be filled. Abortion leaves everyone’s arms empty.
