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This story hits home in a big way. I am mentioning our own case because of the unexpected joy which may befall those who choose life, at least what happened to us.

Our own son was born severely retarded and we were told long ago to let him go. It was a case of oxygen starvation to the brain, possibly due to mom’s pregnancy exposure to a real spill of nuclear reactor radiation at Hanford, no other explanation ever forthcoming. Whatever, he was in a near constant state of seizure and completely unable to take food, except with patience and innate ability to swallow, could be fed after some time.

Doctors gave him only months to live at maximum and a terrifying description of the agony we would go through if we tried to keep him alive. That continued for twenty six years as he remained a severely handicapped “baby” at the same level of development. He died of rather natural causes of a sickness going around that also laid us parents prostrate as well.

The point is, rather than grief and agony heaped upon us, he was a blessing from God, changing our outlook on life and bringing us joy through his smiles. We came to appreciate this great privilege and to guard our treasure even as doctors constantly sought to snatch our son from this life, all in the name of “good”.

For others who may face this decision, it is difficult for sure, but the dread and terror of the prospect are outweighed by the joys and knowledge that a gift from God is granted to us.

No smiles are more pure, no joy is more genuine, no trust more profound than that from such precious people.

I repeat this because while we are deeply touched by the plight of such parents, we must realize the special gift they have received, one very difficult for us outsiders to comprehend.