At 23, and 3 years into our relationship we found out I was pregnant and had to make a decision that we both knew would affect us for the rest of our lives. We were fortunate to have parents we could confide in and knew would support us regardless of the choice we made. It took less than 48 hours for us to realize that it was not the right time or circumstances to bring a child into the world. Thankfully our community had the medical resources available for us to make this choice. A week later we went to the clinic together. He made every effort he could to support and comfort me during the physical aspect and we worked through the emotional aspect together. This experience made us both realize how much we still had left to learn and grow and how important it is to have a strong support system. 12 years later it’s still one of the best decisions we’ve made and both know it wouldn’t of been possible without support from the community and our families. Having choices and a support network available to us during that crucial time was the most influential determining factor in whether we became contributing members of our community or continued the cycle of poverty another generation.
