This week we’re talking about some tough stuff here at Chasing Cousins. January 22nd is the National Day of Prayer for Unborn Children. Men, women and children all over the country will be praying for all the children lost to abortion and for their mothers. Alison and I are joining them in their prayers and by providing content and links that have a pro-life message.
Alison shared her story yesterday and we got a lot of positive responses and even a really interesting debate on one of our shares. I want to thank all of you who took the time to read it and to comment. I truly mean it when I say that we appreciate every single one of you.
Although the response was overwhelmingly positive we did get some negative comments. I'm not talking about the lively debate on Alison's Facebook. Although heated I think it was a productive conversation (Thank you Nicole!) There were negative comments from a few people we knew and from a lot of people we didn't. To the people we don't know who were posting horrible things about Alison and her message I can only say that I am shocked and that your mothers should be ashamed of you. To the ones that we know, I am deeply hurt.
Abortion is a touchy subject. We know this and we were expecting discussion and dissension. What we were not expecting is people name-calling or judging us. There's something deeply sinister about evil words splayed across a computer screen. The people writing them forget that those words are directed at a real live person, a person with thoughts and emotions. It's so easy to sit behind our keyboards and sit in judgement of those around us, even as we think to ourselves how open minded and kind we are.
I had a whole post penned for today. It was about love, acceptance, and forgiving. I've decided to scrap the whole thing. I slaved over it and I am immensely proud of every sentence but now is not the time for it. I've known darkness, I grew up in it, but the depravity that I've witnessed over the past two days is more than I can bear.
So instead, I'm going to hold my son today and say a rosary. I am going to think of every evil thing said and I am going to pray for the person behind the words. I am going to attempt to forgive those people. I don't understand them, they are too far gone for that, but I will try forgiveness.
I'd like to ask you to join me in prayer for those poor souls. You don't have to pray the rosary. If you need some inspiration feel free to use the image below of the prayer to St. Michael (I'm borrowing the image from Kendra at Catholic All Year). If you don't pray than light some incense and send some good vibes out into the universe. We need good vibes, now more than ever.
This is what's so great about this blog and why I, for one, was so excited you decided to do it. It is written by 2 women, each with different religious POVs. On this particular subject it's so interesting to read because one article was beautifully written by a woman who is agnostic who shares her personal experience with an unplanned, early pregnancy and her decision to work hard for that child and how she came to embrace her role as mother. All done in the hopes of inspiring other young women. And today, the other, a woman devout in her Catholic faith, who prays for those unborn babies and for the women who choose to discard theirs. The interesting thing is that both of them believe the same thing despite their different religious beliefs...life begins at conception and abortion is murder. This shows us that pro life does not come from a religious place. I'd like to thank Alison for sharing such a personal part of herself. On a personal note Id like to thank God for sending that baby to her and for giving her the strength and courage to make the decision to have her baby. I'd like to thank her, from the bottom of my heart, for giving our family the gift that is Tristan. This world would be a less happy place without that amazing little boy.
ReplyDeleteUmm... wow. Between the topic and the comments that's all I can really say. Personally, I've chosen life, but I don't judge people who don't. A girl I knew in the navy gave up her first child for adoption & was told if she ever carried again it would kill her before she made it to term. She did what she could to avoid conceiving (except abstinence because for most of us that's just not something we want to do) but she got pregnant and had to make the choice, 2 lives or 1. It's sad. She and her boyfriend were both hurt by it, but it was the right decision for them.
ReplyDeleteEveryone makes choices, no one is perfect. I don't know Alison or her story, I'm here because I love Jess, but I'm sure she has her reasons. If she didn't take good care of her son to begin with, that's sad & all, but if she's doing well now then that's what is important. You can't ask someone to change & then throw their past in their face, that's just dragging them back to where they were & not helpful. Everyone talks shit sometimes too, get over it. My goodness, are we adults or not?
Thank you for the backup Amanda, you're a good friend to me.
DeleteThank you Amanda for the defense. It's very nice of you considering you don't know me. I'm not going to reply to that unnecessary comment that was left before by that fake name. But I just want to clear up to you that I took very good care of my son. I've stayed home from work and taken care of him every day of his life so I'm not sure where that came from or why it was even said. It's been eating at me all day but I know someone is just out to hurt me but I'm glad there are still good people out there that will come to someones defense even when you don't know their side. Thank you.
DeleteDon't worry about it, I've got my own problems right now with people talking crap. Like Taylor says, the haters gonna hate hate hate hate hate LOL
ReplyDelete