The Story
A wife sits her husband down for a talk and tells him she’s expecting their child. While the wife is surprised and apprehensive by this unplanned pregnancy, the husband is surprised and excited. Unprepared for pregnancy, the toll it will take on her body, and the unending demands of parenthood, the wife prefers to opt for abortion. Unprepared, yet willing to accept this unexpected twist in their plans, the husband wants his wife to maintain the pregnancy and have their baby.
In light of the recently passed law banning abortion in Alabama, more and more stories are emerging around the issue of safe, legal abortions. Many of the stories being shared because are heart wrenching – they’ll rip the guts right out of you. Stories of incest and rape, faith and long-held beliefs about when exactly life begins, and stories of financial hardships and physical preparedness. What if the story on the end of the abortion debate is different? How might it affect your views? What if the story is one filled with love, heartache, trust, and hope – like the one above?
In the opening tale, what is the right, fair thing to do for everyone involved? Does the wife have the right to make the final decision based on the invasion of her body? Does the husband have a say in the final outcome based on his role in the conception of the unborn child?
When they choose marriage, husbands and wives commit to building a life together. That makes each individual decision part of the whole. Husbands and wives, then, are partners – a team – and they shouldn’t make any decision without consulting with the other. The wife put her trust in her husband, and in their marriage, by making him part of this decision. She deserves to have her voice heard. The husband puts his trust in his wife to have his best interests at heart in her decision making. He deserves to have his voice heard. Does that mean they each give up the right to make individual decisions based on what feels right for each of them at any given moment?
Ultimately, the final decision is the wife’s to make. After all, the physical consequences of either decision are the mother’s, alone, to bear. Make no mistake about it, though – in a situation like the one above, the far-reaching emotional consequences and aftermath affect the mother and the father. The abortion debate won’t be solved in this article. This article is also unlikely to sway the reader’s standpoint. It’s design is to make you think of the impact of the decision on everyone involved. What would you do?