At this stage of my life I’m looking at things in a different way than I did when I was younger.  I’ve been a fitness buff for many years, and at 61 I’m in pretty good shape.  I’m doing everything I can to delay the inevitable decline that I know is coming.  My motives are somewhat selfish.  I want to experience life with my children and grandchildren for as long as possible.  And I want to have the energy to fight the good fight as I work to end abortion.

It’s taken a large portion of my life to realize that life is not something you take for granted.  I’ve come to embrace all the positive thinking mumbo jumbo that actually makes sense when you think about it; “live for today, tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, and your next heartbeat could be your last, so don’t waste it.”  I’d like to think that with age comes wisdom, and I hope that I’m not the exception to the rule.  I’ve never really participated in organized religion, but I feel closer to God than I ever have.

I was called 2 years ago to dedicate my life to ending abortion.  It’s a calling I can feel in my heart and a calling that I know was from God.  While I’m not deserving of His trust, I’m committed to answering His call and standing on the side of life for the rest of mine.  The big picture, as I see it for me, is placing the lives of innocent children above my own. It’s working to help someone every day and seeing one life saved as worthy of a lifetime’s work.  My goal is to save millions of lives, and I take it personally every day that Planned Parenthood remains in business.

We’re all included in the big picture and we’re all here at this time and this place for a reason.  As much as many of us would like to live our lives, mind our own business, and leave the hard work of changing the world to others, it’s up to each of us to do our part.  Our gift of life comes with conditions.  In exchange for the miracle of life, we are honor bound to serve our fellow man and to hold every life in reverence.  When the human condition devolves to the point that we kill one another out of intolerance and allow industries to make billions of dollars for killing our children, we have some work to do.

The dysfunction and violence that permeates our society is a clear signal that something isn’t right.  We all can see it and most of us will try to get by without doing anything to oppose evil or to right the wrongs that our inaction perpetuates.  The big picture for me involves living a life focused on honor and integrity.  It’s centered around a personal code of ethical conduct that I hold myself to, and a commitment to help anyone in need at any time.  The big picture, as I see it, is my individual perception of reality, just as the billions of other human beings inhabiting the planet earth have their own.

The big picture for me won’t be complete until I live in a world that no longer kills its children.  Until then, I will work to change the hearts and minds of my fellow human beings, one at a time if necessary, to insure that every unborn child is allowed to fully experience the miracle of life..