The #MarchforLife and Overcoming Fear

Yesterday I told someone where I worked.

This isn’t unusual for most people, but I don’t like confrontation and I’m timid and tend to avoid it. I can post stuff on Facebook and I try to keep it non-controversial, but on Facebook I can turn off the notification.

Today I told someone where I work, face to face, and it was terrifying.

I work for a right to life organization, and I’m okay with telling people when I know they are allies. For everyone else, I just say I work for a non-profit and pray no follow up questions are asked.

But today, I just said it without hemming and hawing and it felt natural.

I was shocked.

Fear is something I’ve dealt with forever. I’m fearful, anxious, and constantly worried about saying or doing the wrong thing in social situations.

Today, however, it just felt so natural. I stared at the woman and her face reacted a little bit but she said nothing: no confrontations, no accusations about being anti-choice or anti-woman.

Lately, my faith life has been…not the greatest. I’ve been busy at work, and there have been so many setbacks and it has been so discouraging. I have said the odd prayer here and there, mostly for strength.

I was asking for the strength to be courageous in the fight for life.

I was asking for strength to proclaim life to strangers, even if I’m hated, yelled at, and ostracized.

I’m still not perfect (obviously), and I’m still not sure that today meant anything. Maybe it was just a fluke. I don’t know.

But maybe, just maybe, it was the start of something.

Today in my province is our March for Life; tomorrow we gather to stand up for life from all stages, in all circumstances. Today I’m a face in a crowd, but still, we march.

I’m wearing a shirt with a bold slogan; it’s not exactly subtle.

And today I march for my little brother who is years younger than me and has special needs, but whose life is just as valuable as anyone else’s.

I march for a friend’s sister who happened to have Down’s Syndrome, because upwards of 90% of Down’s Syndrome children are aborted.

Today I march for those who are elderly, lonely, and suffering. Canada has removed its restrictions for euthanasia and, unless we end up with a miracle, euthanasia will end up in the same legal vacuum as abortion in Canada, with no laws at all governing it.

Today I march for women, all women, because our equality is not dependent on giving up our femininity. Our power lies within our ability to bear children and bring forth life.

Life is filled with less than perfect circumstances, but our ability to love those around us, at every stage of existence, regardless of age, location, or abilities should not be governed by circumstance. Love is a choice and it is stronger than death.

So today, above all, I march for love.