I came upon the “abortion responses” articles in the opinion section of The Citizen and was immediately taken by a woman’s article, “... walk in my shoes” and my heart went out to the young woman 26 years ago that faced a painful decision at a mere 22 years old.
Millions of women are faced with unwanted pregnancies each year, and millions of women, each year, choose to terminate them, like the woman in the article. I truly admire her honesty and willingness to share her story, but, there are people out there, like me, who chose a different path.
I was 16 years old when I became pregnant and I know how terrifying it is to feel so alone and helpless. I’m just speaking for myself when I say that most young girls, at 16, are not usually planning a family.
It was never a difficult decision for me, choosing to have my baby. What would have been more difficult, for me, would be imagining my future without my beautiful daughter.
The bottom line is that too many women are making “choices” concerning their bodies and unwilling to follow through with the responsibilities that go along with them.
I never took the “easy way out.” I graduated high-school with a 4.0 G.P.A. and I’m now married to my daughter’s father and furthering my education. I refused to become a statistic.
Having an unplanned (or unwanted pregnancy) will not ruin your life, and I hope that other women in my position realize this when facing such a critical decision and see that they do have other “choices.”
If that tiny life isn’t going to “fit” well into their lives, give it a chance in the hands of a couple that could love and nurture the baby as their own.
Just as the woman in the article will continue to fight for the “right to choose,” I will continue to fight for the rights of the millions of unborn babies that never got to “choose” their fate.
Name withheld
Tyrone, Ga.