I Just Want This THING Out of Me. - ~REPRINTED~ by Permission...

in #story7 years ago

Some articles are too good to be forgotten.

This is one of them. You can find the original article here:

"I Just Want This THING Out of Me."

Unfortunately, Steemit does not presently allow Re-Steeming of older articles.

By the kind permission of author @tlester, (which you can verify by checking the comments under her original article) I am reprinting her very moving letter.

The letter was obviously written from the depths of her heart to a presumably aborted child. That child is the featured picture in this article.

Regardless of your beliefs or your background, I feel that this is a story well worth reading and thinking about. I found that it moved me to tears. Due to that impact, I have made this effort to "re-publish" in the absence of the option to "re-steem."

Please DO VOTE for this article, as I will transfer the equivalent value of all earnings from this article to the account of @tlester, the original author.

Please DO RE-STEEM this article if you find it compelling, and are willing, and post it far and wide on other social media.


Shout Out to @ausbitbank for his awesome SteemViz utility that made this re-print possible:

https://steemviz.com/viewsource

Reprinted By Permission

BEGIN reprint



Dear Little One,

I didn’t expect your mom to be happy over the news of you. It’s one of a hundred things that I wish I could have changed. But if there is one thing that I have learned after twenty four years in this ministry, it’s that a precious life like yours isn’t always celebrated. We live in a broken world, and I’ve met a lot of hurting women.

I’ve had women confide things that have made me cry, and I have seen tragic situations that have made my heart literally ache. I’ve met women who assured me that having an abortion wasn’t a big deal, though the cracks in their voices always betray their words. I’ve also sat in rooms bursting with despair so deep that a young mother was willing to forfeit her faith and convictions over to a desperate heart swayed into believing that an abortion will make a wrong all right—a terrible lie masquerading as an enticing promise. I often feel like I’ve seen it all.

But your mom was different than most.

Your mom was married to your dad. No tragic story there. She simply didn’t want you. Your grandmother was also there that morning. She sat beside your mother nodding her support of the abortion decision, although I’m pretty sure I detected a hint of uncertainty when she nervously chuckled, “The funny thing is I’m Catholic.”

It wasn’t funny.

I once read that “the eyes are the mirror of the soul and reflect everything that seems to be hidden.” Eyes are a fascinating thing to me. Your mom’s were brown. I remember that they were remarkably dry that day. There was no hint of any hidden tears for you in them.

I promise I looked.

And when she looked straight at me and callously declared, “I just want this thing out of me” I wondered if she even noticed the sadness in my own.

I was a little surprised that they agreed to the ultrasound, but wasn’t at all when they refused to look at you on the screen. Seeing your tiny heart beating might have been a game changer for them, so they chose to turn their faces away. We printed a photograph of you, but they left before I could give it to them.

ultrasound baby pic.jpg

It was a rough day for me.

Could I have done more? I was walking fragile ground and had to tread lightly. I fought for you the best way I knew with the tools I had, and I promise you that I extended God’s love to your mom with all my heart.

A month ago I was organizing a messy desk. From a stack of paperwork, an unattached ultrasound photo of a tiny baby fell out.

It was YOU.

Your first and last picture.

I stared at you and studied you for a long time. How ironic it was to me that your beautiful life was growing and thriving just inches below a heart that was so cold and hopeless.

I kept your photo. Did you know that your picture sits at someone’s desk?

ultrasound desk.png

You are a treasure.

I think about your mom sometimes. I wonder if she secretly hurts like millions of other women who made the same choice. I hope I see her again. I often pray that she remembers the invitation I offered her. If she ever needs us, the pregnancy center can help her through the pain and regret of her abortion, lovingly tend to her wounds, and extend a love unlike any she has ever known. It would be an honor to point her to the Redeemer who can forgive her and give her the freedom to someday love you like we do.

- @tlester

Dear Reader: Not every woman struggles after their abortion decision, but many many do. If you or someone you know is struggling with pain and regret over their choice, contact your local pregnancy center. They will lead you to someone who can help.



END reprint

Please give this article a 100% Up-Vote if you possibly can. All proceeds will go to @tlester.

Please DO VOTE for this article, as I will transfer the equivalent value of all earnings from this article to the account of @tlester, the original author, as soon as the payout is complete.

However, rather than "Replying" below this article,

please respond directly to author @tlester under her original article-
CLICK THE TITLE/LINK BELOW:

"I Just Want This THING Out of Me."

If you have any comments or questions about Re-Steeming, re-publishing, or anything unrelated to the original article, please do comment below.

Why am I Re-Printing this article?

Although I am primarily a content creator here on Steemit, from time to time I discover remarkable "new" authors, or excellent articles from "old" authors that I have missed.

All too often, my discovery comes after the "re-steem window" has slammed shut.

At this moment in Steemit history, the ability to Re-Steem an article is tightly coupled to the "rewards window." Though I may strongly desire to promote the author and/or the article, I am unable to do so because of this Steemit limitation.

I am publishing this in part to appeal to Steemit, Inc. for UNLIMITED RE-STEEM-ability.

This is not a request for a new payout window. However, I do think it is very important for us to be able to bring particularly admirable authors and their outstanding work to better awareness in the community, no matter when we discover them. Along with perpetual re-steem, it would also be good to have the ability to add a comment as to why we feel an article worthy to re-steem.


~FIN~

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Thanks for your time and attention.
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Yes, my wife had two abortions before she was 18yrs old. She had no support. She also was not a Christian at the time. And though now she knows she is forgiven, every so often some trigger will touch the pain. It usually takes two to three days to move past it. During this time she is functional, but she has no joy or excitement.

Abortion is a much heavier decision than any promoter of it will let you believe.

That is a defenseless life that is killed. It is truly heart breaking.

Thank you for promising to give 100% steem and sbd to @tlester

Hello @em3. Your wife is not alone. Did you know that 1 in 3 women by the time they are age 45 have experienced an abortion? That's a lot of hurting women, even in our churches. And although they know they are forgiven by God, they have a difficult time forgiving themselves. I have heard women say, "if I let go of my guilt/pain/regret, then I let go of my baby," so they hold on to it. BUT there is an incredible Bible Study called "Forgiven and Set Free." My dear friend leads this Bible Study and the women who complete it are just different women once it's done. My friend calls them "butterflies" because they begin the study bound by guilt and shame and emerge able to embrace HIS grace and mercy. If I can help at all, please let me know.

Hello, @em3, nice to "meet" you here on Steemit.

Thank you for your very thoughtful and relevant comments. I pray that your wife will progressively find greater peace, and look forward to the New Heavens and New Earth where all this pain will be behind us for good. God's kindness, forgiveness, and ultimate restoration through faith in Jesus is our hope for that complete healing.

Oh wow, this is touching

Thank you.

Please consider a re-steem?

Gadly

Thank you kindly for Re-Steeming! :D

just a pleasure, it is a worthy post and a worthy cause, I really hope that it helps

Thank you @breezin! Your re-steem was very appreciated. :)

:D

I don't have any real voting power @creatr, but I did resteem this which will hopefully drive those to @tlester site to comment or hear some healing words.

Thank you, my friend. :)

100% upvote and re-steemed, thinking of you @tlester

You are more than welcome :)

Amazing read. Wow!! I have a friend who used to work at a local pregnancy center. This is so valuable. Resteeming!!

Greetings, friend!

Thank you very much for the Re-Steem.

Thank you @paradise-found! I'm sorry, I just saw this. I appreciate the re-steem. :)

No problem, I was happy to help spotlight this post!!

This was well worth the effort.

I stared at you and studied you for a long time. How ironic it was to me that your beautiful life was growing and thriving just inches below a heart that was so cold and hopeless.

That statement alone move me. Thanks for sharing.

Upvoted, and resteemed. God bless!

Greetings, @littlebitfarm,

Thank you so very much, both for your Up-Vote, and for the Re-Steem! :D

Please leave any comments for @tlester under her original article!

@creatr, I'm so glad I "know" you! Thank you for posting this. I was at work today and just sat down to check in (I've really been slacking lately) and am encouraged by the responses. You have a gift for connecting the steemit community and investing in others. I can learn so much from you.
Yours Truly,
-Grasshopper

Thanks for the kind words, friend.

Your article is more than worthy of propagation. It stands on it's own, and whatever I can to do get it "more eyeballs" I am very happy for.

Thanks for sharing... Love it.

You're the faster reader I know.

Or....


I promise you, that you wouldn't be dancing and laughing if you had read this.