By Carol Tobias, President
Editor’s note. This appears in the December issue of NRL News. Please share this, and the remainder of this Christmas edition, with your pro-life family and friends.
I am often asked about why I’ve stayed in the pro-life movement so long. My response is immediate and heartfelt– because of the people. Pro-life people are the most loving, caring, kind, thoughtful, and hard-working people you will ever find.
Pro-life people are also the most optimistic people you will ever meet. Workers in the movement labored for almost 50 years, believing that Roe v Wade could, and would, one day be overturned. And it was! Instead of remembering the death brought forward by Roe, we celebrate the opportunity provided by Dobbs v. Jackson to protect life.
Pro-life people give of themselves year after year– their time, talents, and treasure, to help people they may never meet. That begins with unborn children and their moms, but also includes those considering, or being urged to consider, ending their lives through euthanasia or assisted suicide.
Pro-life efforts take many forms: educating friends, neighbors, and communities about the dignity that should be accorded to every life, born and unborn, because they are a member of the human family; electing candidates and passing legislation to protect vulnerable members of the human family; and working with moms so they and their babies can succeed.
As we move from the season of Thanksgiving to the season of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, I reflect on how truly grateful I am. When you and I review this amazing past year—the overturning of Roe v. Wade— while looking ahead to the new year, I know that every one of us will do everything possible to promote Life.
I have written that the pro-life movement is the Movement of Hope, the Movement of Truth, and the Movement of Love because we provide all those gifts to those around us.
We offer hope to women who are considering abortion, helping them through a difficult time in their lives, and to women who have had an abortion, helping them find peace in their future. We offer hope to the elderly and those with disabilities, advancing the truth that all human beings, regardless of capacity or disability, are valued members of the human family. And we offer hope to pro-lifers around the world that Life is still revered in America.
We offer truth to counter the out and out lies promulgated by the pro-death movement.
We believe that women must be told the truth. They should be given valuable information before they make a life or death decision. Doctors can–indeed, must– treat women with ectopic pregnancies or signs of miscarriage, and not falsely claim a state’s pro-life law prevents such treatment.
Women have a right to know that Abortion Pill Reversal is a valid and effective counter to abortion pills. Thousands of babies have already been saved—a second chance for life!
And we extend love— seeking to help and protect others simply because those others exist. And not expecting anything in return.
I recently re-read O. Henry’s short story, “The Gift of the Magi.” (Spoiler alert!) A young married couple is struggling to make ends meet. In order to buy a fob chain for her husband’s pocket watch as a Christmas gift for him, Della cut off and sold her thick knee-length hair.
When Jim came home from work on Christmas eve, he found the beautiful hair gone. After some moments, he presented her with his gift– beautiful tortoise-shell combs for the hair she no longer had. Della reassured him her hair would grow back, then gave him the watch fob, only to find out he had sold the watch to buy the combs.
Henry compares the young couple’s gifts to those of the wise men, the Magi, brought to the Babe in the manger: “But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest.”
No one in the pro-life movement is perfect. We don’t know everything, and we have our faults, but collectively, the movement exhibits love in the name of Life. We are wise because we love.
Throughout the coming days, months, and years, while we will face challenges, we will also have opportunities. Opportunities to protect vulnerable human life and to win over those who need convincing.
We’ll move forward with smiles on our faces and love in our hearts, knowing we walk among the greatest people in the world– fellow pro-lifers.
Merry Christmas to one and all, and happy New Year!