January 15—a day I’ll never forget. It has no significant meaning in my life; it’s not the day I got married, the day I graduated, or even the day of my birthday. January 15th was the due date of my unborn child. “Your due date is January 15th” were the only words it took for my world to come tumbling down. I’m still surprised that I gained the ability through my hysterical crying to comprehend the words that came out of the ultrasound tech’s mouth. I didn’t know the sex, size, or shape of the baby—but knowing that January 15th was its day to take a place in this world and mine was enough for me to make the most important decision in my life thus far. In January I would have been a junior in a private high school whose strict policy did not allow pregnant students. In January I would be taking my SATs to prepare for college. In January I would be living my life as a normal 17-year-old girl. As selfish as it sounds, I was not going to let one mistake made two months prior ruin the rest of my life. I knew that if I had this baby, that I would lose my great reputation, my dreams of going to college, and I knew that I would be stuck with the father for 18 years. The father of the child was a boy I had been dating for a year who told me when we found out that he did it on purpose “just to see what would happen.” Would you want someone that brainless stuck with you or anyone else for that long? Needless to say this incident ended our relationship. Knowing that it would be the most horrible thing that I would ever put my parents through, I decided to hide my pregnancy for another 4 weeks. Only after questions from my mother about my ever-expanding belly, did I finally come forward with the truth that I was in fact pregnant. My parents never expected this from me, just as I had never expected it of myself. I was a good girl with a bright future. I was then determined to not let a mistake made two months earlier on someone else’s behalf ruin my dreams of living the life I had mapped out.
I’m very thankful to live in this country where abortion is legal and safe. Even at 20 weeks, I was able to have my abortion. Because I waited so long I had to travel three states down to have the procedure done. Although I do not wish anyone the experience of having to choose between yourself and another life, I do have to say that this experience brought me knowledge and brought my family and I closer. I met several other people in a very similar position as me, which definitely put me at ease. I had considered myself as trash, which was wrong. Bad things happen to good people everyday. My parents were very supportive even though they were very disappointed. They stood by me through everything and for that I am thankful. Thanks to my parents and the laws, I was able to finish high school and get into my first choice of university. I am not sorry!
   |