Hi Friends,
I found this letter on the Priests for Life website, and wanted to share it with all of you in honor of the upcoming Mother's Day:
Dear Friend:
Tomorrow is Mother's Day. I am 48 years old and every Mother's Day since I
aborted my two children has been painful. Some years, and most of the days in
between, I muted the pain by listening to the cultural messages around me that
there had not been life present anyway. I tried to talk to my female therapist
about what I was feeling after the first abortion. She told me that women who
give up their children for adoption suffer trauma but women who have abortions
generally do not. So, in addition to feeling regret and sorrow unlike anything I
had ever known, I then felt there was something wrong with me for being as
affected by the abortion as I was.
I stopped talking about it. What I did was what some of us do after having
an abortion… I got pregnant again the very next year. Even then, I understood my
unconscious wish to undo what I had done. I thought about carrying this
child to term, but my cowardice and shame overtook me once again. I chose to
stop the process of life for a second time.
Often during the last years, I would think, "How old would my children be now
if they had lived?" But last November, at a Project Rachel retreat, I let myself
realize the full truth ...that they are alive, that they exist today. I met them
in my heart and did what I never thought in a million years I would be able to
do -- I named them. Rachel and David. I finally began my relationship with them
six months ago. I acknowledged their eternal existence, and I love them.
I have heard it said that our children are the ones who keep after us,
pushing us on toward healing and reconciliation. I think this is true. I was led
to the retreat which was the single most powerful, profound and life changing
event of my life. I knew I had been reconciled with God before the retreat. Nine
years ago I returned to Him and received His forgiveness through one of His
priests. But I did not feel reconciled to myself, or my children. God's love
flooded me during the retreat and led me to the reconciliation and internal
peace that had always been out of reach.
Tomorrow is Mother's Day. In my church on this day, the priest asks all the
mothers in the church to stand at the end of the Mass for a blessing. It has
always been agony for me; as women all around me stand, and I sit. You see, I
never had a pregnancy again, I have never given birth. And until last November,
I never let myself know that I have two children, that I too am a mother. So
when the priest asks tomorrow, I will kneel for my blessing. The women who gave
birth deserve to stand -- I am at peace receiving my full blessing from a more
humble position.
Friend, please try. Trust your heart, trust God and your child to lead you
where you have always needed to go. For my part, I will pray for you and will
ask Rachel and David to look out for your little one until we join them there,
surrounded by God, who is Love.
God Bless You,
A Mother
originally printed: http://www.priestsforlife.org/postabortion/casestudiesb/casestudy2110.htm
Finding time for the causes you have a passion for is tough, but summertime is a good chance to re commit yourself to the pro life cause, and get your youth groups more involved as well. Lifenews.com has a great list of ideas of Pro Life Youth groups can do this summer to get involved and spread the good word. Internships, "training camps," prayer groups, pro-life tee shirts and fundraising car washes are just some ideas in this article that can help get a sleepy-group of teens active and involved. Check out the full article here and get inspired!
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