Reflections on life and the decisions to terminate it         

By Jeff Mayfield

[JAN. 24, 2006]  I'm glad I was born. I know I can't speak for everyone on that, but I've enjoyed this adventure we call life. As I reflect on this anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, I can't even fathom the impact it has made on me, our nation and our world.

I get depressed when the media spends the week or the month just trying to get me to see why a woman has the right to choose or why she doesn't. It sometimes even shocks me as a rather drastic measure just for the convenience of a better-late-than-never birth extinguisher. But yet as a country, we don't want to legislate morality.

I guess I'm still just puzzled as to why the child has no say in the matter. I'm equally foggy as to why if someone goes into a hospital and shoots a newborn it is murder, but a doctor killing that same child days before is a "procedure."

Now, you can lecture me and point out all the places where I am wrong in this argument, but who's going to explain it to the millions who have been slain? And at what price has this decision been wrought? If people are truly our greatest resource, what damage have we done to our country and our world?

A counterargument would be how much has been saved and that the world is already overpopulated. Touche. But it could also be asked, How many potential friends have we lost, and have we possibly killed off the person who would've invented the cure for cancer or a diplomat skilled enough in harmony to bring about peace in certain sectors of the world?

And what about people waiting to adopt? It seems ironic to me that babies are being destroyed when loving couples are on waiting lists hoping to be blessed with one of these precious little ones.

And I wonder, and I wonder and I wonder.

And yes, I've been to Washington during this eventful week and can only describe the scene to you as a sad picture of modern-day society. While I was happy to live in a free country where I could assemble and march, it appeared to me then and it sometimes does now that many people there then and many that make their voices heard now just want "their side" to win or to be right.

I guess I just wonder about those who have no voice in the matter at all, and I wish I could speak for them.

[Jeff Mayfield]