It takes courage to choose our lives:
Everything about ending a pregnancy is difficult.
Everything about this decision requires the practice of one major virtue.
It requires the practice of courage.
Terminating a pregnancy is a courageous act.
It takes courage to admit the failure of our birth control choice and even more courage to face the consequences of such failure.
It takes courage to admit that we are not ready to take on the responsibility of parenting a child.
It takes courage to find ourselves in the office of a stranger ..a doctor we have never met before… and admit our reluctant wishes all along fearing their judgment, fearing the physical pain of the procedure and fearing how we will survive the inner discussion with our conscience.
The decision to terminate a pregnancy often isolates us.
We may not go to family or friends fearing their disapproval.
We keep our dilemmas and anguish hidden and in doing so we ask from our heart to bear a burden often heavier than we ever imagined.
Somehow, in spite of our fears and our desperation, in spite of our doubts and our isolation, we emerge with conviction that we must act. We must alter the course of our biology, we must intervene, we must act in courage…
Courage indeed!
As a doctor providing abortion care, I am a willing witness to these acts of courage being often touched by the actions and thoughts of the women who seek our help.
I , being a woman myself, understand the call to courage quite well, quite personally.
It is in this context that i find my commitment renewed daily.
I therefore, gently pledge to hold out a helping hand, a loving heart, an open mind, a safe harbor where courageous women will find a sanctuary to choose for themselves the life they wish.