I was 20 years old and was pressured by family. I had a two year old already, and my mother and grandmother said another baby would sink me. My brother drove me to the appointment. 

As I felt the pain of my body being opened and heard the suction device, I became acutely aware of the dreadful thing I was doing. I cried from the physical and emotional pain.   A nurse, I think, held my hand, assuring me it was "almost over". If only her words had been true. It's never over. 

For the record, the baby's father did NOT want me to abort our child. He refused to participate. He and I had a complex and volatile relationship, and we broke up a few months after the abortion. I went on to get married to someone else. 

I eventually had three more children. The last was an unplanned and crisis pregnancy. Praise God, I have another beautiful child. As fate had it, I ended up marrying my lost baby's father last year, twenty three years after the abortion. Today, we speak of the loss openly and with mercy and forgiveness. 

We know our child is safely in the care of Jesus, and I know His grace covers me. I tell young women that life is so much greater than this day, this crisis. The years have a way of catching up to you, and abortion is one of the few wrongs you can never make right. Your baby is gone forever. You'll never hear that first cry. You'll never feel that child's arms around your neck. You'll never hear, "I love you, Mommy."  There is no school, no degree, no job, no boy/man, and no reputation worth that sacrifice. Choose life. You'll never regret it.