The Undiscovered Country

Tread Carefully. Conspiracy Theory Up Ahead.

From this article:

http://www.vox.com/2015/8/21/9183529/pregnancy-risks

To the response from the pregnant meteorologist against nasty emails:

http://response.littlethings.com/katie-fehlinger-bullied-newscaster/?utm_source=...

And the videos of Planned Parenthood showing how they're pushing women to abort in order to sell baby parts.

I can't help but wonder if there is a concerted effort to force women to not answer the call to motherhood.

For most of my young life I had no opinion on whether or not I wanted children. When I married Dave, the decision was made to not have any, because he was adamantly opposed to having children.

During that time a woman told me, "You don't know love until you have children."

Since I didn't want any, I was actually insulted by her comment. It implied that I couldn't love someone fully and completely without children, that my life would always contain a void and I would die regretting never having known that kind of love.

It wasn't until I saw my son's face for the first time that I understood what she meant.

That's not to say every woman should have children. It's a choice every person should make, and they have every right to make it, just as I did, and just as I and my husband changed our mind. Nor does it mean a woman can't be complete without children. I know too many women who decided not to, and have never regretted it.

The problem I see is how society seems to be pushing women -- and even young girls -- away from having children. Society encourages both boys and girls to wait until their 30s -- if ever -- to get married and procreate. It implies that everyone should, "live first," then "settle down" when they've had all their fun and established their career.

It also frowns on anyone who has more than 2 children.

I married at 22. These days that's considered too young. I'm willing to bet some believe I threw away my life the moment I said, "I do."

Speaking from 23 years of married experience, I have lived a more full complete life with Dave than I ever could alone. I grew up with him. I cried with him, laughed with him. We've endured hardships together that we could have never survived alone. Without him, I would not have the career I have. I wouldn't have the joy, happiness and even self-esteem. I can be 100% me around him without fear of being judged or shunned. He knows what I'm thinking and feeling without having to say a word.

And I wouldn't have the greatest love on earth, and that's of my son.

While some women do have horrible pregnancies, and some have even died, for the most part, the benefits of bringing forth new life far outweigh the risks. If they didn't, we would have died out as a species before we ever got started. Even those who endured difficult pregnancies, if you asked all of them, a greater percentage have no regrets than those that do.

I loved being pregnant, and not just because I had a new life growing inside me.

For society to push people against experiencing the greatest joy of bringing a child into this world is not only cruel, but will eventually kill us as a species.

The conspiracy theorist inside me believes that maybe that's exactly what some people are after. Otherwise why is society pushing us toward ignoring and in some cases act outright hostile toward our natural desire to give birth to new life?