The Loss of Our Little Innocents

    Innocence: We see it when our children, our grandchildren, nieces and nephews accept the wonder and awe that life has to offer -- that first snowfall, Christmas, first day of school, first date, first time away from home.  Children are our gift, and their insight into the wonder of life softens our hearts and minds to see life as they do, through their eyes.  We become child-like ourselves as we share their joy.
   But as we become adults, we lose that child-like innocence and become worldlier and less accepting of life and its wonder and beauty. Life’s experiences often make us sad, cynical and distrusting. These emotions lead us to make decisions  we later regret. One of those decisions is abortion.
   Every time an abortion occurs, we lose an innocent.  We lose a precious gift of life which God created. Perhaps the aborted child would bring us peace, joy, love, family into our lives or even a cure for a deadly illness or disease. We will never know.  That child’s gift is lost.
   In January, in most Christian religions, we celebrate the feast of the Holy Innocents, those children in Bethlehem who were alive when Jesus was born, and who were killed because King Herod was threatened by a prophecy of a newborn king who would rule the world. These innocents were slayed. Through God’s love for His Son, Jesus’ life was spared as the Holy Family escaped into Egypt unt ...