I am going to be vague about my experiences with abortions, but having had two healthy and beautiful baby girls has brought me to the realization about the earth. I worry about them. How is it going to be for them? Terrorist attacks, lack of food, natural disasters. I don't want my girls to have anything but happiness, but how does that happen in a country where we are so money hungry, so litigation happy, so depressed. There is no rich/middle class/ poor. Overpopulation.Pollution. Lack of jobs. Increased depression, crazy people. Who can say if your child is going to be date raped by some crazy drug. Informatioin society. Maybe not abortion is the answer, but I can seriously accept anyone who chooses that. The only solution is to REALLY promote safe ***. It's a screwed up world. I did not want to bring kids into it, I did not try. But it happened and I love my girls, but worry every day about their future. The competition for jobs there will be for them when the time comes. The space on this earth. The way we can't play at the beach like I was used to being a child, because there are so many contamanents. Will there be enough food, gas, clothing for them. Are they going to blame me for bringing them into such a screwed up world? So many people taking advantage of kids. I can't trust anyone, like the way people were trusted when I was a kid. Fear of being jailed for false accusations of abuse, or anything else someone want's to accuse you of, just to "get even." It's a hard choice either way, but not getting pregnant in the first place takes care of all of this. Really thinking about having a child, therefore, really thinking about having safe *** is the answer.
And watch this. After I post, no-one else will post.

Wow...well, if everyone thought that way about the earth...none of us would be here.

100 years ago ...the thought was pretty much the same....
- World War 1 was ramping up.
- Crops were regularly decimated by weather and pestilence.
- The average life expectance was about 37 years old.
- Crimes like sexual abuse, and incest were here, just kept hushed.
- About 20% of babies or their mother's died in childbirth.
- Most people were not formally educated.
- Most poeple worked for themselves not someone else.
- There were no lifeguards, no public bathrooms, first aid stations, fire depts, ambulances near beaches, picnic areas, campgrounds and such.
- Should I continue?

Has the world really gotten worse, better, or stayed the same?

Because we are more aware of problems on a daily and even now, a minute by minute basis in which mainstream media works place the problems right in your face, does that make things worse?

Because long ago you didnt know ANYTHING happening on the other side of the hill, much less the world, did that make it safer and better?

I'm not saying one way or another....

How determined are you, ...to raise your children so they make a difference in this world, no matter which time they are born in?
No matter how small their corner of the world?

Paul,
I see your point. Maybe I need to stop watching the news, and reading the paper.
Your response has pointed out to me how totally depressed I am over what's happening in my life.
I live in the same state that the "home invasion" happened where the Dr.'s family were all killed. I worry to much. I think about these things.
I've obviously got to try to think positive when negativity rears its ugly head.
I appreciate your response, it made me look at things in a different perspective.

quote:

paulj_in_phx

i was actually about to say the exact same thing
the issues have changed only slightly but this has been a harsh world for a long time. believe it or not this is a golden age for earth things are better now than they have ever been. the thing is communications technology has improved far more than ever. you have just become more aware of your surroundings. the best way to deal with it is ignore it unless it directly applies to you. It sounds selfish but it isn't. there's way to much world out there for one person. The media throws it at you because you pay attention fear, misery, and death sell it always has. just like the Romans its our new coliseum.

I cannot imagine having an abortion, but if I found myself the victim of a sexual assault I might indeed change my mind. While I am pro-life for myself, I am VERY pro-choice when it comes to the law. This is such a personal decision that I cannot fathom making it for women across the nation.

Whenever I think about the prospect of Roe v Wade being overturned, I shudder. Who will take responsibility for all the children that would otherwise not have been born? In an ideal world we would say the parents, but obviously a woman seeking an abortion is saying that she either cannot or does not want to take on the responsibility. Look at the thousands of children already aging out of foster care because there are not enough people willing to welcome them into their families. Can you imagine how much this would increase? I've worked with a lot of foster children and it's absolutely heartbreaking to see what some of them go through (abusive foster parents, multiple placements, all their belongings hauled from place to place in a garbage bag, constant/painful separations, interrupted schooling, aging out of foster care and having no where to go for holidays, no parents to call when they need help...). I am not saying that it would be better if they had never been born; they are here and to think in that manner is quite distasteful. I just wanted to throw it into the conversation that there are over half a million children in foster care currently, over 100,000 waiting to be adopted...

i limite the amount of time i listen to the news and the papers. I read enough to know a little of what is going on, but your right, reading that kind of information and thinking about it all the time, does no good to the idea of feeling good.

i believe we are born for a reason and that we can make a difference in the world. every one of us has the choice and ability to do that.

we also have a choice on how we will view the world and how we perceive what is going on around us, based on each of our personal filters. Our filters are created through our experiences and how we chose to see and interpret those life experiences. those filters are what creates our beliefs. Those beliefs can have serious implications on mental and physical health over time. Eventually we learn to sort out the filters in our mind, discard what is not giving us a great and empowering feeling, and replace them with things that will.

M

My filters are dirty. They need to be changed to clean ones.

the question of abortion isn't "is it right or wrong" but "what works for you". that's the beauty of living in america.

I can't add anything constructive here, I'm only glad that I don't live next door to "lovely little sparkle queen" because if "it doesn't work for her" that I play the guitar too loudly I'm history...

I am kind of glad to see the range of offerings on this board. I assumed they would all be heavily against abortion.

I had an abortion on my own when I was 16. I'm not sure how I had the wherewithal to get insurance, go to a doctor, and then make my way to the clinic. I told one person that I trusted and that was that.

In the years since, I have never looked back in doubt or grief. Not once. T o me having a child was not an option in any way shape or form. At that time, I never intended to or imagined being a mom. I knew that I was in no shape to support a child and my family situation was far from ideal with a mentally ill parent raising me.

That’s TMI and too much of a soap box- but now, as a newly single mom to a daughter, and a social worker- I think that having a child that is truly unwanted is by far more devastating to the CHILD than being 16 and having a child that is wanted.

for your information Adrian1trk...you would consider it an honor should you ever find yourself living beside me...and besides, I wouldn't mind the guitar as long as it isn't during nap time!