A Grown Up Conversation...

WOW!  SO I just came across this "draft" entry from TWO YEARS ago that I never sent out to you all to read.  I re-read it & it brought me RIGHT back to the moment when I had this discussion with my daughter.  It brought tears to my eyes remembering her hurt & horrified reaction. It was such an impactful event in my life, I retell this story to friends & family every so often. Seeing her face, hearing her words of horror at the concept of abortion is how EVERY human should react at the concept yet we have all become so desensitized by it that when we discuss it, even myself, it is not a topic that repulses me enough to respond appropriately. I obviously did not finish this entry but there is enough here to get the gist of it...read on & learn from an average 7 year old (as I do everyday...)

 So my seven year old is a typical kid (I think.) Currently, she is very inquisitive & wants to know everything about everything.  I find it hard at times to determine where the "line" is when it comes to sharing with her about alot of the "tough" topics in life.  Up until now, when she has asked me "What do you do at your 'meetings' Mommy?" (in regard to my monthly Pro-Life meeting I prepare & run), I have usually answered by saying "Mommy loves babies very much & wants to try very hard to keep them safe.  My meetings discuss the best way to try to make that happen."
This answer was good up until this year...this year, there were all the follow up questions like "But Mommy, doesn't EVERYONE love babies?  Who wouldn't want to keep babies safe??"  Then when I attended the March for Life this year in D.C. the questions didn't stop.  "I don't understand...so you want the law to change?  Why?  What is wrong with this law you don't like?"
So I decided it was time I do some explaining.  So I made the call to be honest without being brutal.  I said "Well, there are many people who do not believe that the baby growing inside a Mother is actually just a small human.  They believe it is something else something before it becomes human I guess. They do not believe that the life growing inside a Mommy was created by God nor does he or she have a soul.  So some Mother's actually have the baby removed from their belly (or womb) by a doctors before it is ready to be born.  Sadly, this is called an abortion." It was as if I could actually see the electrical explosion of synapses in my childs brain.  Her mouth hung open, she shook her head incredulously "W-A-I-T!!" she yelled.  "So what happens to the baby after it is taken out the Mommy's belly?"  I quickly tried to think of the best way to describe it & there was no other way other than to just say it.."Honey, these babies die.  They are not big enough yet to live outside a Mommy's womb just like if you opened a cacoon before the caterpillar was finished his transformation into a butterfly, it could not survive." her eyes filled up "Who could EVER do that?  It's a BABY??!!  It's a gift from GOD!" She yelled.  "I know, I know...this is why Mommy takes her voluteer work so seriously. This is a very serious, important, topic that I wish I never even had to share with you. Some people have forgotten about God or have decided that when it comes to this topic, God is not a part of this issue."  She exclaimed "WHAT?  How could you!!  Doesn't everyone believe that God made us?"            
 

It's Been Over a Year and...

I have thought about writing here so many times over the course of this past year. There is so much to say, so many thoughts, so many topics, so many stories to share.  Much has transpired & it is going to take me awhile to collect my thoughts & coherently write them down.

I love to write and when my son & I spent countless hours and days in the hospital together, it was the perfect time for me to reflect, pray and research our faith.  I loved sharing with you all the great topics I read about or saw.  That is why my posts were more frequent during his illness.  Unfortunately, after being deemed "in remission" and celebrating his MIRACULOUS defeat of stage 4 cancer, in June 2012 we were given the news that not only was the cancer back BUT he was terminal.  Almost 6 moths to the day, on 12/10/2012 Owen Francis passed peacefully and became our family's personal saint. 

During those last 6 months of his life so many amazing things happened. I was gifted with so much insight, so much peace...my family & I were able to rely so completely on our perfect and amazing faith that is only by the grace of God I can be writing to you today. 

As I felt so strongly during my son's illness I was witness to miracles...looking back now, I can see the fabric that wove all those experiences together which led to the day of his passing.  I am so very BLESSED that the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Virgin bestowed on me the GIFT of discernment because what my family experienced...no HUMAN has the strength to survive with true sanity or peace in tact without the understanding of our faith.

Even in death there is true hope.  I will share more later.  God bless good people.  Say the rosary...it's Lent!