Editor’s note. Last week we posted the three winning essays in the Senior Division in NRLC Pro-life essay contest, grades 10-12. Today we are posting the second place winner in the Junior Division which is grades 7-9.
Why am I pro-life?
By Roy J.
My journey to becoming a pro-life advocate began with my little sister, Emory. She was stillborn ten days before her scheduled delivery date. My family had been busily preparing for the arrival of new baby. We had a crib and a nursery all ready. When Emory was born without life, we grieved. Our grief was somewhat unusual because we were mourning a person that we had never met. We grieved a life unrealized and mourned a life unlived. Because of Emory, I have thought deeply about the state of the unborn. I am convinced that each unborn life is unique, has value, and deserves protection.
First, each unborn life is an individual person. The unborn are not parts, extensions, or clones of their parents. Each unborn person is singular. From the moment of conception, Emory had her own unique DNA that contained all the genetic coding that her cells would ever need. This molecular instruction manual dictated everything from sex, hair color, and eye color, down to her blood type and fingerprint patterns. Emory was a separate, distinct, and living human being.
Second, the unborn have value. There are different ways to determine value. Insurance professionals determine value based on earning potential. Thus, the highest insurance payout would come from an individual cut down at the peak of their professional career. The unborn have a different form of value that stems, in part, from being distinct. Emory was a “one-of-a-kind” masterpiece with limitless potential. This sort of value cannot be quantified in mere dollars and cents. Therefore, each unborn child is appropriately valued as “priceless.”
Lastly, Life is fragile. This is true about all life, but is especially true about the unborn. These tiny beings exist in a state of acute vulnerability. They must rely on those of us in more advanced stages of development to feed them, to care for them, and to protect them. I can help to protect these precious unborn children by advocating for pro-life cause. I can speak out and use my voice to help defend the voiceless and the vulnerable.
Because my little sister Emory never lived outside of the womb, I have had a special reason to think deeply about what it means to be human and what it means to be alive. My conclusions are simple. Emory was irreplaceable, had immeasurable worth, and she deserved our protection. When she died, my family honored her with all the love and ceremonies that humans use to memorialize the loss of a dear family member. In summary, Emory was real—and so are all the other unborn children. I am pro-life because I want to help create a society that values and protects every human life.