May 18th
**Scroll to bottom for a link to give you some insight of the timing of this post!
In 1997 my mom felt trapped in an extremely abusive and isolated relationship. At the time they had a five year old kid and my mom was struggling to keep herself and her little girl healthy and alive. To protect herself, she was on birth control and using additional contraceptives. As we all know these methods are not a hundred percent preventative and in the smallest of odds, my dearest gentle mama found herself pregnant with a second child. She was confused, frustrated and terrified... but she had options and an important decision to make.
The other end of that decision was me!
Pro-choice gave my mother the FREEDOM to choose me. To raise a quirky little blondie with dreams too big for her own good. The day she decided to keep me was the day that she saved her own life, her first daughter (my darling sister Lucy), and myself. She took her two daughters and left my father. SINGLE WITH A NEW BORN AND A 6 YEAR OLD. She fought legal battles, PTSD, extreme anxiety and raised us despite her own trauma. She’s a freaking warrior (to say the least.)
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This decision in itself was so incredibly important. This past week I have been imagining how it would’ve played out had this right been taken away. I think about the pain of following through with a pregnancy that she would’ve been powerless over. I think about the foster care system and the hundreds and thousands of children waiting on adoption. I think about the inadequacies of our government and healthcare systems. The thought of the government taking away this right makes me sick. I’m so blessed to have a mother that chose to fight for me and love me unconditionally. This is my story and I’m proud of the odds I have beat and the scars that I wear.
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I think it is obvious why I am coming forward with this (vulnerability is scary.) There are so many opinions, insults and arguments being thrown in the air but think what is most important at this time is love (always,) and perspective. Please only comment or reach out if you have support, love or perspective to offer. xox.
May 18th https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/18/us/anti-abortion-laws.html
