29 July 2023

More thoughts from the Hermitage so we can clean off the desktop, which has had these for quite awhile now.Parenting is a tricky thing. Queen started babysitting when she was 11 for a couple of families in the neighborhood. Everyone has ways of parenting. Ex-Employee will tell you there isn't much "parenting" going on out there. At least viewing the students in schools. Parenting is NOT easy. Sadly, and much to her dismay, Queen was left with this duty early on, which made things even more difficult. Queen LOVES to have fun with children, but that didn't happen as often as she would have liked it to happen. Babies need food, sleep, attention, love, changing, and snuggling. Not necessarily in that order. Sitting quietly, with a baby on your lap teaches them a LOT. They learn there is a time to sit quietly. That it is okay to sit quietly. MUCH can be learned from this quiet time. Eventually it leads to reading, and other learning skills. Talking to them helps them with speech and learning to speak. Crawlers need all of the above, but now that they are mobile, they need to learn the word "no." This is helpful for many reasons. Safety. That mom knows what she is talking about. That she loves them and wants to help them. ETC. Learning the word no is a must. Reading to them every night before bedtime is something Queen always did. Voices were a must. ALL voices, inflections, and accents. All reactions to words. Toddlers need all of the above, but sitting time can become a longer period. Teach them the letters, numbers, and punctuation. Teach them colors, numbers, shapes, etc. Teach them their address. Teach them to hold a pencil or crayon...without breaking it. Teach them to care for things. Get a pet. Show them how to care for a pet. Be loving. Queens children are all a little less than two years apart. Each new baby brought a responsibility for the older child/children. They learned to be helpful, do chores, learned to cook, etc. They were all potty trained before the next one came. They need to learn rules, boundaries, consequences, and much more. There is a time to run free and a time to be still. Disciple always reminded Queen of the scriptures in Ecc 3:1-8...A time for everything. Everything they learn from birth to age three will take them through their life. THIS is THE MOST valuable time in their lives. YOU are setting them up to succeed during this time. Queen took parenting seriously. She was doing the best she could, and even though she tried to quit many times, she always came back. It isn't easy. There are still times, even though Queen's children are ALL successful adults in their 40's, when she feels she wasn't the best, didn't do everything, maybe wished things would have been different. But some of them have told her she is AWESOME! She DID the best. Was great. One thing is, thankfully NONE of them were lost on her watch. Well, one at the mall. But that is another story. THIS IS NOT meant to compare our parenting with the parenting of others. Each child is different. Each child was born to YOU for what you will teach them and bring to their lives. While Queen always wanted children, she also wanted them to turn out well. We believe they all did. Are they perfect? Darn tootin! Well, we are biased. We know they aren't, but only one person was ever perfect. Queen is thankful they all chose her to be their Momma, MA, Mom, Mommy. They are ALL a blessing to her, and ALL of us in the Hermitage are thankful for them and ALL they do for us. They are the jewels in Queens crown.

 28 July 2024

Life offers us a lot of things; challenges, experiences, joy, blessings, lessons, trials, laughter, beauty, AND SO much more. One thing will help you to appreciate another thing. They all work together to make us who we are. 

When we hear a song, watch a movie, read a book, etc. because of the things we've experienced, or been through, we may get something out of the song, movie, book, etc. that others don't. It does NOT mean either of us are wrong or right. It just means that through our life experiences, we may get more or less than the next person. Choose not to say the other person is wrong.

Disciple has had experiences with scriptures. She has read scriptures for decades, BUT sometimes a scripture will hit her and she thinks, "I've never read that before!" BUT she has! However, THIS time, something has changed in her life and now the scripture means something MORE than it ever did before. There is more clarity. More understanding. And it leads to changed thoughts. 

Our perspective of everything is the way we are looking, whatever it is. Someone else is looking at it through their eyes of experience. Does NOT mean their perspective is wrong. It is merely different because of what they have experienced. Choose not to say they are wrong. 

If someone has lived through an experience, never tell them what they experienced isn't so. That it was false. That it was a lie. That they don't know what they are talking about. Choose to see things from their perspective. Choose to find understanding. Choose to experience it from their point of view. 

We are all going the same way. Some of us stop at a "landmark" and some a "rest stop." Some make right turns, some make left turns. Our choices on the path may not be the same. Our distance may be different. But our paths cross, sometimes frequently, sometimes only once. BUT we ALL have a purpose on the path. We all have a reason for being on the path. Sometimes to help others, sometimes for them to help us. Sometimes to be an example, sometimes to follow an example. Everyone is on the path to learn something, many things. We all make mistakes. Some are here to help us through them. Sometimes we are caught up in the mistakes of others. But we keep going. We push on. Choose to help others. To be kind. To find harmony. 

Have a GREAT week. Look at things from a different perspective. Add to what you know. There is SO much out there. 

That's a wrap.

24 July 2019 

24 July is Pioneer Day.

I received an email today about Hannah Gustava Gundersen 1862-1944. She was 6 years old when the John G. Holeman Company departed on 1 Sept 1868 and traveled for 24 days. She is my 4th cousin.

Hanna Gustava Gundersen was born on the 20th of June 1862 in Forstaden, near the city of Fredrikstad, Norway. She was the last child born to Torger and Oline Gundersen. Her mother Oline was 45 years old when she gave birth to Hanna. Her father Torger, was a forman in the large Fredrikstad lumbermill. Oline and Torger were early converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They were baptized in the Glommen River on the 2nd of August 1853. Hanna was given a name and a blessing in the Fredrikstad Branch by Brother M. Pedersen on the 6th of July 1862. In the 1865 census of Fredrikstad, Hanna is named along with her family. She was the last child of eight siblings. Hans was the oldest, who sailed up the coast of Norway to Namsos where he worked in the lumber mill. He married Karen Johannesdatter. Maren Annette, an older sister, had already gone to Zion and she married Christian Christiansen. They were living in Big Cottonwood area, south of Salt Lake. Anton, the 3rd child of the family, became a seaman and to the great sadness of the family was lost at sea. Olina would sometimes be heard saying, "Hvorhen er Anton" (Where is Anton)? Thomas and Edward are young men in their teens in the Norwegian 1865 census. Olaf and Josephine were very young when they passed away. Hanna is the last child of the family listed, along with the name "Mormon" written by each of their names. Torger and Oline's desire to eventually come to the Salt Lake Valley started on the 12th of May 1866. Torger, Oline, Thorvald, Edward and Hanna departed on the bark Vanadis from Christiania (Oslo) on that date. They arrived in Quebec, Canada on July the 2nd 1866. From Quebec they went south to La Crosse, Wisconsin where Torger worked in the lumber mills for over two years. Hans and his wife Karen Johannesdatter and their three month old baby Carl Olaf, arrived in La Crosse in 1867. Unfortunately Hans passed away shortly after they arrived and Olaf also passed away. Karen remarried a man by the name of Christian Hansen. They had a son they named Herman, who never married. Karen stayed in La Crosse, and passed away in 1926. Torger was able, because of his skill as a lumberman, to break a key log that was jamming the logs, then running for his life. With this money the family was able to take the last wagon train to the Salt Lake Valley in 1868. The John G. Holman company was sent by Brigham Young to pick up the last of the Pioneers to come by wagon and ox team. There were 62 wagons, 6 independent wagons, and 50 persons not included in the 600 Scandinavian passengers from the ship Emerald Isle. This large body of Saints began at the North Platt River near Rawlins, Wyoming on the 1st of September 1868. Hanna was 7 years old and walked much of the way along with the rest of her family. The Holman company arrived at the Tithing Office in Salt Lake on the 25th of September 1868. On this very day, Torger and Oline's daughter Maren Annette had baby Charles Christensen. Christian, Maren Annette's husband, built a home in Big Cottonwood. They were happy to share there home with their family they hadn't seen for many years. Torger built a temporary dugout, on a hill, for them to live in on what is now Holloway Drive in Holladay (Cottonwood), Utah. The family lived in this until a more permanent log home could be built in this same area. Christian taught Torger, Thorvald (Thomas), and Edward the plastering trade. For one of the plastering jobs, they received as payment a flat piece of property at the north end of Park City. When Hanna was 17 years old she married Henry Lavern Swabes. In the 1880 census Torger and Oline are living with them in Park City. Henry worked in mining in Park City, but moved to Wyoming after 1890 for better opportunities. In the 1900 Freemont, Wyoming census he worked in the Placer Mine. The census tells us that Hannah had six children and five of them were living. These are the names of the five children; Emma 17 years, Reynold 15 years, Maud 14 years, Ernest 10 years, all born in Utah and the last child Jessie 3 years born in Wyoming. Ida, the oldest daughter, passed away in 1897. By the 1920 census Henry is 62 years, Hannah is 57 years and they are renting a home in Riverton, Wyoming. Later we read from Reynold's draft card that he is living in Atlantic City, Wyoming and his mother Hannah, who is now a widow, is also living there. She passes away in 1944 at the age of 82 after a most eventful life. As we read of her experiences; a young girl sailing from her homeland in Norway, walking across the plains of Wyoming, then returning back to Wyoming to raise her family with her husband Henry. She is buried beside her children Reynold and Jessie with a headstone bearing all of their names. Compiled by Elizabeth (Betty) Gundersen.

 22 July 2015

I have found it very easy to forgive. Forgiveness for me is still loving the person, and knowing that in life, lessons must be learned. Sometimes those lessons are difficult. Realizing that maybe you made the wrong choices...sometimes someone else did. There are primary sufferers and secondary sufferers. In any given situation, you must figure out which one you are. Was the lesson for you? Are YOU the primary sufferer? OR is the other person? Making you the secondary sufferer.

Either way, lessons are learned and you go on with life. IF you hold on to the suffering, you are allowing the other person to hold on to you. Forgiveness is vital in life. It allows you to let go of pain, hurt, anger, etc.

The lessons you learn help you along the path for the rest of your life. It isn't that you are holding on to the situation, merely the lessons provided from each situation.

The hardest lessons provide the most pain; possibly as a way of always remembering the lesson. It doesn't mean the lesson was a waste...it means the lesson was important to your path of moving forward.

I know of people who don't or haven't forgiven. They live in fear of seeing the other people involved in their lesson. They live in hate and anger because they can't let go and are unable to move past that lesson. EVEN when the other party has learned, grown, forgiven, moved on, still cares and loves them.

 22 July 2019

I've been having a "discussion" with someone who is slightly younger than me about all of this hullabaloo which is going on.

I have lived in a little more than 7 decades, so I can't go WAY back personally, but I have taken a few history courses. So, while I have learned about past ages, I don't "know" them.

Since the beginning of time, basically, dogs have been man's best friend. I don't know where it all started, nor do I care to debate it. IF there is ONE thing I've learned from history, it's this. You can repeat it, you can do better, you can deal with it, you can revere it, you can accept what happened and keep going. BUT you CAN NOT change it. No matter what you tear down. No matter what you destroy. You can not remove it and pretend it didn't happen. It did. Everything happens for a reason.

This "discussion" I've been having with this other person, is in regards to "comments" in the work place. Among other things. She wanted a "list" of things I've experienced over the years. You may insert a face here which is appropriate to the face I may have made. One where the eyes roll and well, you get the picture. She says that those making the comments, mind you, from high school and all of the places I've worked, ALL of those making said comments, etc. should be fired! HAHAHA!!!. First of all, I don't think it matters. I know I don't care. I don't even think I cared when comments were made. When I was in high school, All in the Family was a hit show. AND they covered every detail and aspect of life at that time. AND from where I was in life, it was pretty true to life as I knew it and had always known it. Women, for the most part, stayed home. Men went to work. People said what they wanted. It was a far different lifestyle than what we know now.

In the Old Testament, there are verses which say everything happens for a reason and there is a time for everything. This is true. Those who lived in the 1600's had a far different life than we do now. BUT we can not change that. Nor can we change the 1700's, 1800's or 1900's. We can't even change yesterday. BUT what we can change is us. I can change myself. I can't change you, my children, my co-workers, etc. I can only change me. And I can't change what I did in the past. I can only change my future. The way I talk, think, act, etc. So, why these people want to dig up the past, chastise the past, hash it over day after day and try to change it is just futile. We said, did, acted the way they acted back then because that's the way it was.

Yes, I was basically a Susie Homemaker. My mother was born in 1919 and when I wanted to go to college, she said "girls didn't do that. They get married, have children, and that's it." Whatever. I did get married. I did have children. I did the homemaker thing. Did I die because of it. NO. I've been blessed. Did I go to college. Yes. When I was 40. I still have some classes to finish, and hopefully I will do that this fall. But I am NOT the woman from the 50's who my mother and aunts were. While I thankfully have a part of that in me, I am SO much more. I never saw my mom put gas in a car, check the oil, change the wiper blades much less help pull the engine and tranny out. I never saw her mow the lawn. Put shingles on a roof. Jump off of a cliff. Water ski. Roller skate. Fix a bicycle. Build anything. Use a skill saw, table saw, drill, etc. BUT I've done all of those. And I sew, bake, cook, draw, crochet, knit, quilt, embroider, needlepoint, write, design, garden, etc. I golf, play baseball, and football. Sometimes a little basketball. I grew up in a time when girls couldn't do everything, BUT did it anyway. OUR generation made the next generations possible. If it weren't for the way women have changed over the years, not much would have changed. WE changed things. We rock the cradle, and because we rock the cradle we change the future.

 21 July 2024

Selenophile has reminded all of us in The Hermitage that the full moon is tonight. She waits for this event every month, and once in a blue moon, twice a month. Insert smirk. With the heat, it is getting to all of us, and it seems that none of us can be controlled—actions or mouth! 

We are NOT moody, however, many of us have been FAR too weepy in the last few days. Disciple couldn’t even hold it together for two hours while she was at the House of Worship this morning. It didn’t help that two of the hymns stirred her spirit and ALL of that leaked out her eyes. One was Come, Come Ye Saints. She believes that was picked because Pioneer Day is the 24^th. The other was Secret Prayer. When all of Queen’s children were still living at The Hermitage, the oldest would sit next to Disciple at the House of Worship. When that hymn was chosen, he sang the men’s part perfectly, and the memories of sitting with them flooded in. 

Prayer has been on ALL of our minds here at The Hermitage. Disciple prays a LOT, but the rest of us pray while working in our departments. Prayer is an amazing GIFT. We know there are people out there who don’t believe in it. Well, they don’t believe in anything of that sort. Prayer, God, etc. And that is their choice and we respect that. But ALL of us in The Hermitage KNOW ALLprayers are heard and answered. We also know that whether you believe or not, doesn’t matter. Prayers aren’t always the kneel down, bow your heads, and close your eyes, configuration. Sometimes they are the driving in the car with Chauffeur, someone cuts you off, you are spared, and Chauffeur quickly and quietly looks up and says, “Thank you!” OR “I see what you did!” Sometimes it is Gardener and Landscaper out in the yard trying to do some difficult task, like shoveling rocks for hours in the heat, frustrated they are doing it alone, tears streaming down their dusty faces, NOT saying anything. BUT they are seen. They are comforted. And after a few minutes they are back to their task. Sometimes it is a Student at her desk getting ready to take a test. She picks up her writing implement and as she does, she has a “thought” of “please help me remember everything I studied.” Queen, and Grandmomma, offer prayers and thoughts all day long. There are at least a dozen they pray for. They are always in prayer mode. Years ago, about 1993, Queen realized that she wasn’t in control. She always “thought” she was, but when the oldest earned his driver’s license, and asked for the keys to the car that evening, AND all the others wanted to “go with him” wherever he was going, SHE KNEW she was NEVER really in charge! AND she prayed. Boy did she pray. As they all walked out the front door, she prayed. As they all got in the Bronco, she prayed. As the Bronco left the driveway, and headed down the street to whereabouts unknown, she prayed. Eventually, that evening, they returned. No worse off than when they left. BUT she learned a LOT that night. One of Disciple’s favorite scriptures is Proverbs 3:5-6, “trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” That trust part became quite obvious. Through the years, ALL of us in The Hermitage have learned about that trust. Learned more about prayers. We KNOW it works. Disciple has studied extensively and shared what she has learned. 

Prayers can be thoughts, hopes, dreams, ideas, etc. They can be spoken, or in your mind, or heart. They can be tears streaming down your face. You can be sitting, kneeling, face down on the floor kicking and screaming! But know this, THEY ARE HEARD!!! Never think they are not heard. Even when there is no one else, or you THINK there is no one else, there is! 

We have all become SO close to God in our conversations that that is just what they are. Conversations. Sometimes the answers are immediate. Sometimes not. Sometimes we are told to wait. Sometimes He has something better in mind. AND then there have been the times where things “happen” and we don’t know the reason, BUT we find out later. Yes, sometimes prayers are answered before we even think about them or speak them. At those times, we are always in AWE of this great God and His power. His knowledge of each of us individually. Of every little happening in our lives. We are amazed, intrigued and in awe.

We LOVE to pray because of what happens when we do. We are grateful for ALL we have been blessed with, and so we give thanks! We have been given many gifts and talents here in The Hermitage, and we know that where much is given, much is expected. So we ask what we can do. Being an instrument in God’s hands, and serving others is always a blessing. It always lifts us. Asking Him for things is interesting. He already knows what we want and need, but He waits for us to ask. When we ask, we are ready for that blessing. He has so many blessings and miracles waiting for us, and all we need to do is ask. That in itself is a gift and blessing. We have also seen the blessing that come from fasting and praying several times this year alone. Not that we haven’t seen it in the past. We still remember major fasts we were part of in years past. And we have seen the fruition of these. 

Some of us have been told our prayers are long, and put others to sleep. We refrain from praying in their presence, and quietly offer our prayer within. It is God we are talking to after all, and not them. We take our praying to God seriously. We enjoy our conversations with Him. We are grateful to know He loves us, watches over us, and blesses us far more than we sometimes notice. 

So, if someone says you are in their thoughts and prayers, you don’t have to be on the same page. They aren’t forcing you to be on their page. They just know about thoughts and prayers and how they work. They have “seen” things in their lives. They have “seen” God at work. Some may say, “I prayed about this…and my prayers weren’t answered.” Yes they were. They were answered exactly the way they were supposed to be answered. You may not agree with the answer, but it doesn’t mean it was the wrong answer. It was exactly what was supposed to happen and when. All prayers are answered according to God’s plan and His timing. As those of us in The Hermitage look back on things, there is FAR more understanding of things we didn’t understand years ago. While there are still a couple of things that don’t make sense, we have faith and trust that what happened was correct. When you know, you know, and we know.

 14 July 2024

My body, my choice!

Writer is going WAY up the tree, and WAY out on a limb with this. You can follow her up, and out there, OR you can just stop reading. It is YOUR choice. No one is going to take it away from you, just like EVERYTHING else. YOU have a choice. Writer doesn’t care WHO you are, YOU always have a choice, and it can NEVER be taken away. No one can take away your ability to choose. It is YOUR GOD given right. With any choice. It is YOUR body and YOUR choice! You hear this ALL the time anymore. And it is true. You have the choice on EVERYTHING in life. You can do whatever you want, BUT YOU must accept the consequences for your choices.

Writer has thought long and hard about these things. This is NOT one of her typical works. Her works usually have humor, and are rarely on things she, OR anyone in The Hermitage hold within their hearts and souls. But this is going there. She has deliberated with everyone in The Hermitage at length. These are our thoughts on this.

You make numerous choices on a daily basis, whether you think about them or not; food, music, drinking, smoking, religion (or not), where you live, which way you will get there, who you talk to, or don’t talk to, your friends, your car, how you will wear your hair, sex, ETC. People may have an influence on those choices, “Do you want?” You can accept. You can say decline. You can hold off. With each choice there is accountability, reactions and consequences. Once you make a choice, everything is in motion from that point on.

As children, those of us in The Hermitage were taught about choices. We were taught through lectures, discussions, and examples. Sometimes our choices were met with, “You are the oldest! You should have made better choices! You knew better!” We were observant as to what others did, and sometimes this guided our choices. Some of these choices were based on life, some on religion, some were just plain common sense.

We thought about people with food allergies. We really never knew anyone with any food allergies when we were growing up, even until about 40 years ago. When Employee was working in education, she knew a LOT of people with them. One child was SO allergic to peanuts, if a child used the desk the period before this child and ate peanuts and got ANY part of the peanuts on the desk, this child could actually DIE! Employee was taught over and over about allergic reactions being part of the health office. This child, now an adult, MUST take a proactive approach to food in life! They cannot take ANY chances. Any chance at all can lead to death. They, and the parents, were VERY vigilant with this. NO peanuts anywhere. So, while this is their body, their choice, the choice must ALWAYS BE NO! By anyone around them. There are other food allergies and situations where they may not have to be as vigilant. Here in The Hermitage you will NOT find walnuts. We’ve eaten them when we didn’t know they were in something, and they do make our throats itch. So, we just leave them be. It is our body, our choice. DO we insist that no one else eats them? NO.

As small children, then as teens, we grew up around many alcoholics; family, relatives, friends, family friends, neighbors, etc. We witnessed personally what alcohol does and it was NEVER pretty. EVER! We witnessed people become completely different when they drink; argumentative, combatant, abusive, senseless, and antagonistic, among many other things. We never saw one of our grandfathers sober. He was always drunk, and always chewing. He died when Queen was eleven. When young, the decision was made that we would NEVER drink alcohol. At the present time, this is still holding, and we have never had an alcoholic drink. It is OUR body and our choice. Do we expect everyone else to do this? NO.

Smoking is the same. We’ve never seen any good come from this either and we have never smoked. It is OUR body and our choice. Do we expect this from others? NO.

Food is something we don’t take lightly, and it does show. Writer said there was no humor in this, perhaps she is wrong. We have been doing much better in the last ten years or so. We eat smaller portions and try to eat less sugar and fats. We are working on “moderation in all things” as we go through our day. We have had people from many different philosophies and practices suggest different eating habits and styles. We like far too many foods to go up those trees and out on those limbs. It is OUR body and our choice. Do we tell others what they should do? NO.

Well, we are back. Writer, and others took a half hour break. Most of us know what is coming next and it is difficult. To say the least. There will be no details…For the most part.

In late October of 1954 an unmarried woman with two boys found herself pregnant. None of us know the story and never will in this life. In late December of that year she married a man. Not the father of the baby. There are many little details, but he demanded she adopt the baby out. And when Queen was born, she was adopted by a couple who were struggling to have a baby. Growing up she was cared for, but when she was six her dad left. This was a difficult time, and continued to be difficult as her mother put the “fun” in dysfunctional. Was everyone’s life like this she wondered? Every year a different house and a different school. When she was nine, they lived in Albuquerque. There were “classes” at that time in school explaining “life,” and such. Yes, she paid attention. However, Queen’s mum had an uncle who lived there. Queen complained that she hated going over there, and explained why. These things fell on deaf ears as she was told “that’s the way some men are!” So when they visited, Queen stayed as far away as possible from him, and made sure she was NEVER alone. Then, at 15, coming home from a choir concert she got a ride with a fellow student. The ride didn’t go straight home. Didn’t go where Queen thought it would go. Things happened. Things we don’t talk about. BUT she remembers exactly HOW she felt…For a LONG time. To this day, when she thinks about it, she STILL remembers exactly how she felt. NO. The story was never told.

Queen, as well as everyone else in The Hermitage LOVES children and always has. Employee started babysitting at the age of 11. This has all been told in other writings. Queen always wanted to be a mother. Her dream was to have two boys and two girls. After she got married. In life, those of us in The Hermitage have learned that people randomly have sex, never caring what will happen. Then there is making love. In our minds, those are two completely different things. One is a completely careless act and choice you make with your body for pleasure. The other is a commitment made between two people for many reasons and purposes. Some people have sex and don’t even know the other person's last name. There are literally thousands of stories. They don’t care if there is an outcome, they are only concerned with their pleasure at the time. Maybe they were drinking. Maybe they were just thoughtless. The list of maybes and whys are extensive. But they are NOT thinking of any consequences. They are just performing a pleasurable act for their own reasons. They don’t care about the consequences of their acts until they find out they are pregnant.

Just as the child with the allergies MUST think of the consequences, or they will die, those who have casual sex for whatever reason should think of the consequences. Because we know there are consequences. IF you do NOT want to be pregnant, then that is where your choices begin. DO something so you don’t get pregnant. It is YOUR BODY and YOUR CHOICE!!! YOU have the opportunity to MAKE THAT CHOICE, and the choices are many. No one can take that choice from you. Say NO! YOU have that right. No one has taken that right away. Those of us in The Hermitage tried the pill. Tried several different kinds with horrible side effects. We used an IUD. Works just fine. YOU have the choice! NO one can take it from you.

Don’t be the child who can’t have peanuts, but eats them anyway. But if you do, you made that choice with what to do with your body. It was YOUR body and YOUR choice. And if it turns out you have created another body within you that was your choice. So, you did make a choice with your body. Now you have a choice of what to do with the new little body you carry within you. You are making the choice for that body because of the choice you made with your body. Choices are many in life. You make them every day. Sometimes when you make a choice it ripples and makes choices for others. Some who don’t have a voice yet.

The national rape-related pregnancies is 5%. It is interesting how many of those babies are born. How many of these women keep these babies? How many of them adopt them out? How many of these babies you may know: Eartha Kitt, Zahara Jolie-Pitt, Jesse Jackson, Nell Carter, Ethel Waters, and many others. Rape is not a pleasant thing to talk about. Statistics show rape has happened to girls as young as 11, and as old as 45, and most have kept the babies. The stories are heartbreaking and inspiring.

There aren’t statistics for casual sex pregnancies, however, the stories from the women who have carried their babies’ full-term are equally heartbreaking and inspiring.

But in the end, no one can take your choice from you regarding YOUR BODY, YOUR CHOICE. However, when you make the choice to have sex with your body, knowing you don’t want to get pregnant, you have made the choice for your body. The consequences of what happens thereafter is past your body, your choice. Will anyone in The Hermitage judge you? NO. YOU made the choice. It is YOUR body. That is a God given right. No one can take that right of choice. We only make choices for our bodies.