Life is Grand; Life is Tough; Life is Precious

Today is the annual March for Life in Washington D.C.  It is a day for people to gather to peacefully protest the legalization of abortion in America. A week or two ago I had an idea for a post for today. I wanted to kids to draw pictures of me that I could post.  There was some tie in to the March for Life. It was a really good post...in my head...two weeks ago.  I even had Frances and Henry draw pictures for me last Thursday when I took them to work for the morning because their school was delayed.

Then, as is often the case, my plans were interrupted.  The pictures are on my desk at work.  Where I am not; again because of weather.  The kids are out of school for the third day in a row (Monday for MLK Jr. day and yesterday and today for weather).  I am actually writing this on Tuesday night, knowing that I will be delayed at least two hours tomorrow for work.  I don't want to feel rushed in getting the pictures scanned and put into a post.  I also don't really remember where I was going with the pictures anyway.

However, I do remember wanting to point out that life is precious.  Life is precious when it goes our way.  When things are hunky dory and everything is going the way we planned. (Do those kinds of days really happen?) Life is also precious when it's not going as planned. When we feel downtrodden and defeated and don't really want to go on.

Life is precious when it is excitedly planned for and arranged for.  When mom and dad spend nine months anxiously awaiting new life.  Life is also precious when it is unexpected and unplanned for. When mom is alone and confused and not sure how things are going to work out.

Life is precious when it is perfectly formed with ten fingers and ten toes and 46 chromosomes all where they are expected to be. Life is precious with extra chromosomes or missing limbs or parts not fully formed.

Life is precious through all ages and stages; birth through death.  Much like the marriage vows: life is precious as better or worse, as richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.  

Life is grand (sometimes); life is tough (sometimes); but life is precious always.  And I pray that we will learn to honor the dignity and specialness of each life, so as to honor the dignity and specialness of all life.