I am a man. Therefore I cannot fully put myself into a woman’s thoughts and feelings. If I could do this, it would be like stepping into an alien world and trying to make sense of things that are so foreign to me I might not recognize something as simple as a flower. I can try my best to place myself in a pregnant woman’s shoes the best I can and ask myself how I would feel. But, even that is extremely hard to do.

So if that doesn’t work, I figured speaking to women would be the next best option. I have spoken passionately about this topic for over three decades. I should note that it didn’t take long to come up with my own opinion. I decided long ago, which I will share in a moment. I just wanted to make sure that I let you know that I take this topic with utmost seriousness and respect for women all around the world.

Pro-Life people may find it surprising that those under the social umbrella of Pro-Choice don’t like abortion either. I don’t think anyone does. The difference I found is that people who are Pro-Choice understand the many nuances and dangers of pregnancy and understand the tides behind a woman’s choice much better. I am not saying Pro-Life people don’t have feelings, but I have seen that their beliefs and emotions play a more significant role in their position and less on the ones involved.

It is a complex topic, not only to discuss but also to contemplate. I love my children with all my heart and am ecstatic to be a grandfather twice, even though I am only in my early fifties. It is easy for me to say someone should never have an abortion because of the joys I feel. But life is complicated, and people don’t share the joys my life has provided for me.

What I did, is thought of this as a dad. I looked at what States were doing in limiting time, what type of sex was worthy of abortion, and what crazy things Republican leaders said about abortion. I picked the hardest topic to imagine.

What if I was a dad that didn’t believe in abortion no matter what?

What if my daughter was raped and impregnated.

That is a terrible, awful, and frightening thought. Regardless I followed that thought process. I would make her have the baby because I do not believe in an abortion no matter what. A nice selfish choice! A safe choice because nor I nor my daughter would go to hell, and if God knows everything, then He wanted this to happen to her.

But what about her? What would she think and feel? Would I hear her crying softly in the bathroom during morning sickness? Knowing my daughter, I believe she would cry and cry a lot. I think her angelic personality would start to crumble, and her face sag, hair go limp and lifeless as the days and months passed. I believe that as her body changed and grew, she would stare vacantly into the mirror and recall that awful episode every day.

What would the joy be for her during this type of pregnancy?

What God would be so inhumane to do this to one of His children? Make someone suffer day and night with an unwanted and horrifically forced sexual act?

No. I thought. Making a girl or woman go through that is torture, pure and simple. It would be nine months of twisted, evil torture. I could not doom someone to that. I just couldn’t.

One day, my daughter asked me my thoughts on the topic, and I shared the above with her. She hugged me, told me she loved me, and we watched my grandsons play. Of course, I love them all, but who am I to dictate what some remote person on the other side of the country can or cannot do with their own body and life.