Okay so I’m not big on TV and I haven’t watched a lot of the show “X Factor” but I remember watching a clip from one of the episodes of this girl who was severely bullied in school, singing this absolutely beautiful song.  At the end of her performance, one of the judges said to her “all those people that bullied you are at home watching you on TV”.  That video and sentence are the things that inspired me to do what I do.  To me, being successful is the best form of revenge.

When I was younger I thought that revenge meant something more physical such as writing songs like Taylor Swift.  Sure, it can be effective but that’s a lot of time to waste on someone just to let them know you hate them.  And it’s not really satisfying.  Unless of course you become a super star like Taylor Swift did, but the chances of that are very slim.  But of course nothing is impossible.

Anyway, I’m not auditioning for a TV show (a least not yet), but there are things you can do to be successful and above your enemies.  That doesn’t mean you have to think you’re “better than them”, but it is a good mindset to have.  I once witnessed someone say (and I quote) “I’m better than you” to another person and it was probably one of the cruelest things I’ve ever heard in my life.  So please, don’t ever think or say that to someone because that’s definitely not what this post is about.

In the title of this post I used the word “revenge”, but I've decided not to call it that.  The word “revenge” implies that the focus is on the other person, when really it’s about your gain of power.  Plus it sounds really violent and the last thing the world needs is more violence.  So I prefer to use the word “satisfaction”, which can mean “what is owed or due to one, especially in reparation of injustice or wrong”.  Before I actually figured out how much better satisfaction was than revenge……well, I don’t like to think about that time in my life.

So when you’re really angry at someone, it’s hard to think properly, isn’t it?  All you can think about is how much you want them to “pay” or whatever.  But the truth is, that isn’t always the best way to go about revenge, because it doesn’t always work out the way you want it to, and usually you do more work than what it’s worth.  And if you’re being honest with yourself, you’re not satisfied in the end.  That’s right, there’s the key word again.

You might be thinking “well you’re saying all this stuff about being satisfied, but how do I get satisfaction”?  See here’s the lesson it took me so long to learn: it’s not about what you do to them personally, it’s about being the bigger person.  I know, you’ve probably heard that from your mom a million times, but it’s what makes all the difference.  Notice how I said “bigger” and not “better”.  I never said to be better than them because I just don’t promote that stuff.

                How can you be the bigger person when you’re only 5’3”?  If you were fortunate enough to be tall then lucky you, but just like when people ask me how in the world I managed to shove someone who’s over 6 feet into a wall, it’s not really about your physical abilities.  If that were the case, I wouldn’t even be writing this right now.  Being the bigger person means no matter what the other person does, you handle it like a pro.  That means not taking the revenge route, but not letting them bring you down.  A strong person doesn’t do this in an act of hatred, but in small acts of dignity.

                So to sum up all this up in one sentence: don’t get revenge, find satisfactory in being the bigger person, not the better person.

Hey guys, so this is going to be a short and sweet post but since I haven’t posted in a while I just kind of wanted to give you an update on where I’m at in life and the things that have prevented me from blogging.

So first off, I was working pretty much full time this summer.  I got an awesome job at such an awesome place and I just want to take a minute to say that while I was working there, it never really felt like “work”.  I didn’t do it for the money really (although it did help tremendously with my college fund haha), but more because I just loved being surrounded by good people in a good work environment.  So I spent most of my summer there and it was very exhausting sometimes and by the time I got home, I never really felt like writing a blog post to be completely honest with you.  But since I’ll be starting school this coming week, I won’t be working as much, even though I sincerely wish I could. But unfortunately there just aren’t enough hours in a day.

I don’t think I’ve ever shared this on my blog before, but for those of you that don’t know, I am going into my 5^th year in 4-H.   Being a member of 4-H has been such a wonderful experience and I can’t even begin to tell you about all the amazing things I’ve done and the great people I’ve met.  The summer is always a busy time for 4-H members because the first week of July is probably one of my favorite weeks out of the year because it’s fair week.  That’s right, the loud music, fried food, big rides…..that may be your idea of the fair, but for a 4-H member it means getting your projects done in time, making sure you have all your paperwork filled out for your animal, and being in the big white barns 24/7.  All that is a lot more work than what it seems, but it does pay off.  I’ve met so many amazing people and gained a lot of leadership experience that has been so useful to have.  So if you’re interested and have any questions about the program, feel free to ask me and I’ll answer them to the best of my ability!  You can also go to 4-h.org for more information.

Along with those things, there have also been some personal things I’ve been going through over the last few months.  I’m not quite ready to name any specific details because I’m still in the healing process.  If you’ve ever dealt with something traumatic then you know what it’s like.  One day you don’t think about it at all then the next thing you know you can’t get rid of the thoughts.  Every day is different.  When you wake up you never know what that day will bring, but you can learn to control those thoughts if they come.  It’s a lot easier said than done, but that’s why it takes time.  Everyone heals differently, and for me it takes a long time for the scars to be completely washed away.  So that’s where I’m at right now.  But the past few weeks have been so much better than a month ago, so I’m very pleased with the progress I’ve made so far and hopefully it will only continue to go up from here.

The last thing I want to talk about in this little update is some changes I’m going to make.  I already wrote a post about change awhile back, but these changes aren’t really changes that happen on the outside, but more like changes on the inside.  When the school year started, I decided there were some things I need to do differently.  The first one of those changes is right here on my blog.  I don’t want the posts to be months apart, but I can’t really commit to doing a weekly schedule during the school year.  So for now, I’ve just decided to post as often as I can.  Sometimes it will be weekly, sometimes it will be every other week, and it will always be on different days.  I’ve decided that this is the best way to stay committed, and so I don’t feel pressured to post on a certain day.  So hopefully I can make some good posts for you to read and still post them often.

Another thing that I just started doing is being healthier in general.  I’ve never really been unhealthy, but I downloaded an app called “Lifesum”, which helps you make sure you’re eating healthy and drinking enough water.  It’s such a nice and helpful thing so if you’re looking to lose or gain weight, or just want to maintain your health, this app is so helpful.  I’m not becoming a “health freak” or anything like that, but eating a balanced diet is important, not only physically but mentally too.  I will let you know more about how that’s going in a few weeks, but so far it’s helped me make a lot healthier food choices and made me realize how dehydrated I was!

The last thing I want to mention before I go is my photography.  I haven’t taken a lot of pictures recently, and I think that was mostly because there’s not really anything interesting at my house to take pictures of (except of course when I’m out somewhere), and the camera I have isn’t the best, but I’m going to try to work a lot harder on that during the school year, so if you want to see the pictures I take, you can go to my photography page on this blog, and make sure to follow my photography page on Instagram (@a_moment_in.time) and like my Facebook page (under Megan’s Photography or @megan’s.photography17).  Hopefully there will be some great pictures coming soon!

This was a lot longer than I expected but thank you for sticking with me over my break and reading all my posts.  Your support means so much and I hope to write some good stuff for you to read in the future!

Happiness- 1. Feeling pleasure: feeling or showing pleasure, contentment, or joy.

                I’ve been feeling it so I guess it’s time to do the showing part.  As I explained in my last post, I’ve gone through a lot of changes in the past few months and still am, as the world is always changing around us.  The problem was that I wasn’t changing with it.  It took a lot of work and tears, but I’m finally to the point where I don’t live like I did before.  I have a way better outlook on life now, and it’s been such a relief to be out of the dark.

                How do you feel when you’re happy?  Do you jump up and down like a little kid?  Are you at a loss for words?  For me, it depends on what it is that’s making me happy (sounds weird, I know, but then again I’ve never been what they call “normal”).  Usually I get really energetic and I get this weird feeling in my stomach.  Some people call them butterflies, but when I’m happy it feels like the whole zoo is in there.  Also, I tend to ramble a lot about the most random things (why?  I have no clue).  But whatever you do/feel, it usually makes you feel REALLY good.

                How do you feel when you make someone happy?  This might even be better than the feeling of being happy yourself, because making someone else laugh is probably one of my favorite things (not like I’m funny or anything but I try).  It just gives you a really good feeling.  It’s hard to explain, but it’s so satisfying.  But with this kind of happiness, there is also a risk of you not being happy.  I know, life is complicated like that, but really this is when manipulation can happen.  You have to be careful.  You can get so caught up in someone else’s happiness that you may not see yourself slowly crumbling.  I know what it’s like, believe me. 

                Being a selfless person is something that isn’t easy.  You’re way more vulnerable to people when you’re not selfish, because lets be real, nobody likes selfish people.  I’ve met some of them and they’re not pleasant.  All you really want is someone to care about you, right?  Manipulation is a tricky thing, and some people are REALLY good at it.  So good that you might not even realize it at first.  Or if you’re one of the unfortunate ones, you might never realize it.   People can get tricked into so many things when they’re being manipulated.  This is why you have to be careful when choosing who you’re close with.  Making other people happy is a good feeling, but when you’re becoming depressed because of it, it’s not a good thing.

Here are 8 signs of emotional manipulation:

                Some people are SO good at it that they may not even realize they’re doing it.  They care about their own happiness, but not yours.  They know that they’re happy, but they don’t care about you.  And maybe you don’t care about you either.  You’re SO focused on making them happy that you don’t even notice your own feelings anymore.

                But the best kind of happiness is mutual.  Two people that are equally happy with each other.  And trust me, you will know when this happens because the feeling is so strong.  It’s worth waiting years for, and it’s also worth the problems that come with it.  How can there be problems with happiness?  The thing is, it’s not the happiness part that’s the problem.  It’s other people outside of that happiness that are the problem.  And I don’t know why the world is like this, but some people just can’t accept that you’re happy.  Maybe this won’t even happen to you, I don’t know.  But it’s happened to me many times and let me warn you that people WILL try to purposely ruin your happiness.

                It’s part of manipulation.  They make you think that they’re helping you, but really all they’re trying to do is ruin that happiness for you.  The best thing you can do for yourself is to ignore it.  In my opinion, why would you let someone ruin your happiness?  Even if you end up hurt later, at least you were happy for a while.  That’s the way I think of it anyway. 

                Happiness is the best feeling in the world.  Nothing is better than being happy and everyone should get a taste of it in one way or another.  Be patient.  Wait for the right thing, the right one, and you’ll feel better than you ever have before.  Sometimes you might have to fight for it, but it’s worth it.

Leave a comment and tell me what makes you happy!

XOXO,

-Megan

There are many reasons why I haven’t been posting as often as usual (my sincere apologies), but I really don’t care to explain them all so I’m just going to go through a few of the main ones. 

Door

By Megan Dennis

You can only do two things

Open and close

That is your job for eternity

Letting things in and then shutting them out

It’s kind of like the way humans work

We open our doors to let in visitors

And shut them out when we realize they were just unwanted guests

They brought cookies to share

While you sat and talked by the fireplace

Making small talk about the weather and things with no significance

Maybe they looked into your soul farther than you wanted them to

They panicked and ran away once they saw what was past the skin

You called after them, screaming their name until your mouth was dry

But by then they were already far out the door

That stupid door

The way you use a door symbolizes your emotions

Whether you walk quickly and slam it, making the pictures on the wall shift

Or if you walk slowly and linger for a moment in the doorway

You might look over your shoulder to have one last glance at what you’re leaving behind

It’s unfortunate that very few of those people will walk back through the door

But the few that do will lock it behind them

Anyway, so yes, that was my first finished piece since the end of March I believe.  I’m very proud of it considering I know very little about poetry and haven’t written very many poems but I’m actually starting to like it so maybe there will be more poetry on this blog in the future.

            This second part of the post is something I’m SO excited to tell you about.  I’ve been thinking about this post for days and I can’t wait to share this with you.  I’ve had a lot going on these past few months, some of which I explained at the beginning of this post, but also some personal things which I will not name specifically.  Most of them have to do with my ongoing battle of trying to get along with people (haha).  But all laughter aside, I have been facing issues such as the feelings of rejection, depression, and being taken advantage of.  I’ve always tried to be nice and friendly.  You know, the kind of person people like?  The problem was that I think there IS such a thing as being too nice.

            Everyone likes nice people.  It’s a natural human characteristic to be drawn to nice people.  Maybe that’s why I spent all those nights tossing and turning because I couldn’t escape this feeling that for some reason I was supposed to apologize.  And if you know me at all, you know that I also value my dignity.  Probably even more than I value my ability to be nice.  So anyway, I couldn’t shake this feeling that I was MEANT to apologize for something that I probably didn’t have to apologize for.  It’s difficult to explain.  But I kind of felt like it was one of those God things where he was sending me a message to tell me to apologize to this person who probably didn’t even want to see my name pop up on their screen like they did when I sent that message that I instantly regretted.  And once they responded, I regretted it even more.

            A long, personal story aside as to what happened after that, I felt even worse than I did when I apologized.  I mean, how could something that I felt was so right to do, feel so wrong now?  It was really messed up, let me tell you.  But yet again, I found myself being the nice one, and before I knew it, they used that to their biggest advantage.  And then one day they never replied to me again.  Deep down, I’m glad it’s over because it shattered all of the confidence I had in myself, and I found myself in a deep pain I had never experienced before.

            This pain was different, because instead of what I would normally feel after an incident like that, I felt this need for something.  I knew that it couldn’t stay the same.  Something needed to change.  Actually, everything needed to change.  I don’t know why exactly, but all I know is that it needed to change.  And I started with my hair.

I never knew a haircut could change not just your appearance, but your entire outlook on things.  I felt like a completely different person after that.  Like a load had been lifted off my shoulders.  But still, that haircut wasn’t enough.  I needed more change.  The changes I went through emotionally are hard to put into words and I’m sitting here now trying to find a way to explain it to you.  Change has always been so hard for me, but this time it was easy because I wanted it so badly.  I knew things could not stay the way they were and I couldn’t allow myself to stay how I was.  I’ll probably still allow people to waltz in and out, but maybe I’ll recognize it sooner rather than later and save myself from being somewhere I don’t want to be. 

            Here’s the thing.  If you’re under the impression that people dictate your feelings and emotions- you’re wrong.  They can if you let them, but not letting them control you will give you the upper hand and they won’t win the battle.  They want you to give in, they want you to feel the way THEY want you to feel.  Don’t let them grab you.  Don’t let them control you.  That’s the key to it, and it took me all these years to figure it out.  I still don’t have it all the way figured out, and I will never understand why human beings are so cruel, but we can change ourselves for US and not for other people.

Thank you for being patient with me during my absence, and I hope to get on a regular schedule again soon.  I’m hoping I can create way better content for you now that I’ve finally become the person I’ve always wanted to be.  And you can too if you stay strong and stay positive.  I love you!!

XOXO

-Megan

This post is going to be a little different from what I normally do because it’s going to be about……………PROM!!!

Yes, I had the opportunity to go to a Homeschool prom at an actual ballroom last Friday.  It was absolutely amazing.  But this post would be very short if I left it at that, so, I’m going to tell you the full story.

                My prom story started last July, believe it or not.  And this part is going to be the most difficult part to tell, so let me just get it over with.  As you may or may not already know, I was in a relationship at the time.  A very short relationship, I might add, but still.  Anyway, the relationship basically started with him asking me to prom.  Not like those promposals you see on Instagram, but while we were standing in line for lemonade at the fair.  If I had been smarter back then, I probably would have recognized the fact that 1) it was the middle of July and prom wasn’t until March, and 2) that he just randomly asked me while I was in line to order lemonade.

                But no, I didn’t see the warning signs like I should have.  Although I did sort of know that the prom thing wouldn’t happen and that it would all pass.  As you can see, I was right, and by the time prom came around, I was dateless.

The dateless part doesn’t bother me at all.

                And neither does not going with that particular guy (I’ve met a lot of guys in my life span, but none quite as bad as this one.  There are a few other words I would use to describe him, but of course I won’t say them here).

                The part that bothered me is that once again, someone said they would do something and didn’t follow through with it.  I hate that.  I absolutely hate it when people do that.  So thus, on the eve of prom, there I was on the floor surrounded by tissues and shaking so hard I could barely breathe.  This is not an exaggeration at all.  I was on the floor crying, the night before one of the best days in my life (and I hope to god you’re reading this.  You know who you are.  These words won’t ever do justice to how let down I felt). 

                So if there are any guys reading this, or anyone for that matter, I have one thing to say to you: don’t say you’ll do something and then not follow through with it. Please.  Don’t let anyone down the way I was let down.  I’m the kind of person who expects you to do what you said you’d do.  If you say you’re going to buy me an ice cream cone, I expect you to buy me an ice cream cone.  If you say you’re never going to talk to me again, I don’t expect to hear from you.  It’s a simple concept.

                Anyway, back to the story.  So with all dark emotions back in their cage, let’s move on to a brighter side of the story.  I just thought that part was important, because those feelings played a huge part in how I felt about going to prom after that hurricane of a relationship ended.  And now I’m going to move on with the story just like I moved on from that part of my life.

                The dress.  I think that’s what I’ll talk about next (I’m trying to do this in order).  So for everyone asking, I got my dress online from Macy’s (which by the way, is one of my favorite stores ever).  I was a little sad that I didn’t really get to go “prom dress shopping”, but at the same time it was great that I literally ordered it and it came within a couple of days and I didn’t have to spend hours trying to find one in a store.  It was also really cheap as well (I think it ended up being around $40-$50 with coupons that we had).  It fit perfectly, and the only thing we had to do was take it up a bit (I’m very short, so even the smallest size was long on me).  But overall, I was really happy with it and it didn’t give me any problems on prom night.

One of the best parts of getting ready was getting to go get my hair done at a salon.  I’d never been to a salon to get my hair done before (it costs a good penny), but it turned out great and didn’t fall out at all during the whole evening!  The only bad part about it was taking out about a million bobby pins at one in the morning.  

So on the day of prom, I met the group I went with at my friend’s house to take some pictures.  Taking the pictures was not a lot of fun because there were so many parents trying to take pictures at the same time and it’s never any fun standing so close to people.  But we did end up getting some good shots like this one

And then we were on our way to prom.  Forty-five minutes later we arrived at the ballroom.  An actual ballroom.  This place was absolutely gorgeous, and just to give you an idea of how gorgeous it was, here’s a picture (which doesn’t even do it justice at all).  By the way, this isn’t a photo from prom, it’s just a picture I found on their Facebook page because I don’t have any good pictures of the whole room.

When we first got there, we had to register and find our name on a place card and then take our place cards to our reserved table.  I got to sit with some new and pretty awesome people at my table, so shout out to them!  Anyway, so after everyone got there, the people in charge went over a few guidelines and things like that.  Then we prayed and the waiters and waitresses brought out the salad.  It was a three course meal which included a very fabulous desert.

After dinner, I went to the restroom which was really disappointing because they decided to start playing the music, and sadly I missed the cupid shuffle.  When I got back “I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas was playing and that’s how I knew it was going to be a good night (pun intended of course).  And after not even five minutes of dancing, one of the straps on my heels broke and so I couldn’t wear my shoes for the rest of the night (which turned out to be okay because most of the girls had their shoes off anyway).  It was great except for the painful blister I have on my toe that is still there a week later. 

                The music was fantastic (even though the majority of the songs I didn’t know), including the live Celtic music band that played some classical music such as the Grand March and the Virginia Reel.  For the most part, the steps to those dances were simple and were easy to catch on to and were very fun once everyone got the hang of it.  There was also a DJ that played some more familiar songs to dance to, and of course a few slow songs.  During those, I took the opportunity to give my feet a rest and take it all in.  I watched everyone dance, some with their dates and a few with their best friends (oh and I did dance with one of the guys in my group so that was cool).

                One of the greatest things about prom was the fact that everyone got along.  If there was someone there you didn’t like, that feeling of dislike was forgotten and you were friends for just those few hours.  It’s really hard to hate people when you’re at prom, and it was fun to meet people there that you didn’t know before.  Everyone was nice and everyone was happy.  

                Another thing about prom: you don’t realize how late it is and how tired you are until you leave.  I had trouble staying awake on the ride home and there was a lot less talking compared to the ride there.  Also, you realize it’s been hours since you ate and when you get home, you set out a bag of pretzels which will never be opened because you’re too tired to eat.

It’s no fairytale story, but to me prom was a magical night that could not have been more amazing.  There's no better words to describe it.  And hopefully next year I’ll have an even better story to tell. 

Thank you:

To my parents who bought my ticket

To my grandmother who bought my dress

To my other grandmother who paid for my hair to be perfect

To Joe and Carrie Dile for driving me to and from prom

And to the lovely people I had the pleasure of spending the evening with

There’s something that’s been bugging me the past few days that I want to talk about.  I’m pretty much an open book so I figured what better place to talk about it than here with you.  Obviously I never use names when I talk about personal situations like this, so I’m not trying to call anybody out or put them in an awkward position.  Just thought I’d mention that.

                So there’s this guy (I swear that’s how almost all of my stories start lol) that I have never met in person but I know who he is through mutual friends (you know those kind of people?  I have a lot of them).  Anyway, so he friended me online and I didn’t think anything of it until he sent me a message the next day that said something like:

“hi I don’t think I know you but you’re really pretty and I thought I would just tell you that and I wouldn’t mind talking to you”.

Awwww.

No.

                My first reaction was what most girls my age would have thought: aww a guy thinks I’m cute.  How nice!  But then after I let it sink in, I didn’t feel as flattered as I maybe should have.  Of course it’s a good feeling whenever someone compliments you, but after we started talking, I just couldn’t shake the feeling that he only wanted to talk to me because he saw my picture and thought I was pretty.  It wasn’t a very flattering feeling anymore…….

                I hate how our culture glorifies the way you look, how much makeup you wear, and the clothes you have on.  Especially for women.  It’s easy for a man to see a picture of a famous model in lingerie and think “wow she’s hot”, and vice versa.  What if she wasn’t wearing makeup?  What if he didn’t have a six pack?  Would you still feel that attraction to them?  Probably not. 

                It’s a normal thing for humans to be attracted to other humans based on their outward looks and appearance.  And I’m definitely not saying it’s wrong.  If you’re in a relationship, you should always tell your partner how good they look.  It could make someone’s day if you compliment them (as unflattered as I feel now, I will admit that it did make me feel good about myself).  What I’m saying is that it shouldn’t be the only thing that attracts you to them.

                Let me present a question: do you believe in love at first sight?  There is no right or wrong answer to this question.  It all depends on what your opinion is.  For me personally, I’m going to have to say no because I just don’t think you can instantly love someone.  Maybe it’s because it hasn’t happened to me, but I don’t think I can love someone I just met.  If that were the case, I have a feeling that relationship wouldn’t go well after a couple of days (the only reason I say that is because there was one time in my life where I thought love at first sight was real, but now I’ve learned that it’s just another fairy tale myth and does not end happily).  But maybe it does happen to some people.  I can only speak for myself.

                As a Christian, I also have morals just like any Christian should when choosing a partner.  When I was younger, I didn’t have any personal boundaries and I regret that now.  I just let guys walk all over me because I was afraid of making them angry.  When I met the guy I mentioned earlier, I told him that I just couldn’t jump into a relationship with someone I met less than a week ago.  I told him that we would have to be really good friends first, and I would need to feel more comfortable with him.  And also that if he really does like me, he will wait until I am ready to take on the commitment of a relationship.  I’m sixteen years old.  I don’t want to mess around anymore.  I’ve had my fair share of reckless decisions in a relationship, but I want something real.  Something that will last.  I can’t know that in a week.  It takes time.

                Many people these days (especially young people) tend to rush into relationships quickly because they think they know the person enough to love them.  And while I can’t speak for those people, I can say that they are nowhere near close enough to knowing them enough to love them.  Most married couples are still learning new things about each other every day!  It doesn’t happen fast.  That’s why relationships don’t last when you’re young.  And there are some people that just want to date to date.  It doesn’t matter if they like the other person or not, they will date them anyway.  I find these types of situations really sad because there is a match for everyone and they might never meet the right person if they mess around with people who don’t really care for and love them.

                Being in and waiting for the perfect relationship takes patience.  If there’s one piece of good advice I have from my experience, it would be to be patient.  A relationship tests your patience every day.  Sometimes you just want to throw a chair at the other person and it takes every bit of patience you have not to.  It’s normal.  Couples argue all the time over stupid little things, and usually it’s because you or the other person have lost your patience.  And if you’re not in a relationship, it will take all the patience you have not to just date any person that comes along.   But if you’re patient, God will place the perfect person in your life at just the right time.

                Well friends, that’s all I have to say for now.  I could ramble for a long time about relationships, but I’ll save that for another day.  As a reminder to look not just for someone with a pretty face, but someone who’s beautiful on the inside as well, I’m going to insert one of my favorite songs down below!

 Fall in love with someone with a beautiful soul!<3

Think of the last time you held a baby.  Maybe it was your own child, grandchild, niece, or nephew.  Whoever it was, just think about it for a minute.  Now think about that child being taken out of your life.  Think about that baby not having a laugh or cry.  Not even a heartbeat.  Imagine a world without a baby’s laughter.  What would it be like? 

                In the year 2014, approximately 926,240 abortions took place in just the U.S. alone.  That’s thousands of lives being taken away before they even have a voice.  Thousands of innocent babies that could have had a whole life ahead of them.  In my opinion, killing anything with a heartbeat is murder.  No exceptions.  Not in any case should it be legal to murder.  Whether you can see the life being taken or not, it is still a life. 

                Some women will state that their pregnancy was an “accident”, though I think it would be unfair to consider consensual sex an “accident”.  If it was, then it would be an accident that could have been easily prevented and by no means am I referring to birth control.  I don’t believe in birth control, or any other form of what people these days consider “safe sex”.  You know when sex is safe?  When you have a ring on your finger, a roof over your head, and a job to provide you with the finances to care for a child.  It’s as simple as that.  Until you have those things, all it takes is the word “no”.

                But what about circumstances such as rape?  Surprisingly, only 5% of the 957 women who provided a reason for their abortion were rape victims.  That’s a small amount compared to the 25% who said they just weren’t ready for a child.  But again, I bring back my point that it should never be legal to murder under any circumstances.  Whether you were ready or not, killing is never the answer to your problem.

                There is, however, a healthier alternative for both the pregnant woman and the unborn child.  There are many couples in the world that would love to have a child but are physically unable to because of diseases such as Chlamydia that cause sterility in both male and female reproductive organs.  This is why it may be a wise choice for pregnant women to put their baby up for adoption after it is born.  Young children usually get adopted quickly and go to a loving home.  Doesn’t that sound like a much better alternative to abortion?

                Considering that most women said that they just weren’t ready for a child, ultimately the best decision would be to not even make it a possibility.  It’s that easy, and the safest, healthiest way to prevent pregnancy and women will never have to even face the decision of abortion.  As I stated before, taking birth control can minimize the chances of pregnancy but it is not 100% guaranteed, and often includes side effects such as headaches, weight gain, and can even increase the chances of a heart attack.  Not to mention that forgetting to take it will not allow it to work at all.

                As we are entering 2017, the numbers of pregnancies of young women ages 15-19 are growing, which means that the numbers of teen abortions are growing as well.  While the abortion rates are the highest in women ages 20-25, teen abortion and unplanned pregnancy is still an issue.  Most teens will drop out of school and never graduate because of parenthood.  It’s saddening to think that young girls just entering High School will have to raise a child (most of the time without the support of the father of the child).  If the awareness of abortion and teen pregnancy can reach girls and women before they have to face the issue, just think of how many abortions can be prevented just by talking about it.

                In most of the stories I’ve heard about women who chose to abort their unborn child, most of them regretted the decision after it was too late.  Then for the rest of their lives they had to live with the guilt of killing an innocent life.  Besides guilt, abortion can also result in depression for the woman who will live the rest of her life remembering what she did.  No one wants to live like that, so why even make it a choice?  And for the women, why make that decision?

                One thing many people argue is that abortion protects women’s rights.  Well, what about the rights of the unborn child who doesn’t even have a voice to make his or her own choices?  Shouldn’t that be considered as well?  Wouldn’t the rights of a baby be just as, or even more, important as the woman’s rights? 

                If there’s one positive thing that comes from unplanned pregnancy, it’s the fact that it teaches the importance of dealing with consequences.  As humans we all make mistakes, and we must deal with the consequences that come from making that mistake.  If abortion is just a way to prevent a consequence, then it would be okay to assume that making that mistake wasn’t a big deal because you’ve gotten around the consequence.  How are we ever going to learn from our mistakes if there aren’t any consequences to deal with?

                To sum things up, abortion is wrong, killing an innocent life is wrong, and anyone who supports abortion needs to spend a few Sundays in church.  It’s sickening to think that there are so many supporters of this hurtful crime, and hopefully one day we will live in a world where it is no longer legal to murder an unborn life.