OT?

(also, check for newer posts BELOW this one, for today, trying to keep this pinged up top)

I've been thinking, and praying, about a discussion in our comboxes that's been building for awhile. Made this comment today on this post, but felt it worthwhile to post it here for all readers, not just those who click through to our comments.

We have drifted OT, haven't we? "We" meaning Emily and me, but mostly me. And Em's been gracious enough not to confront me on it.

While I'm not the sole poster on things NARAL, PP, etc., and only did one post clarifying the expected spin on the South Dakota thing, I know I'm the predominant one, so it really is because of me that the "political" tag has been affixed to this blog. I've wrestled with this, and I realize I must do less of that, if any at all. I've still got lots of anger issues (as if you all couldn't tell!).

Em may not read this for a week, so I'm going over it with her privately when she gets back.

I really do want, more than anything, for those "women who come here for the first time every day (about 200 of them) from Google searches with search phrases like 'hurt after abortion'" to find what they need, quickly, safely, without muck or mire or "dreck", as Em put it in the guidelines.

I like the suggestions of "Anonymous" in that combox about "How are you doing today with your healing, etc.?" and asking people to share their thoughts/feelings on the emotional aftermath of abortion, what helps in recovery, how it feels, etc., etc. (Of course, anything emailed to us for such sharing would ONLY be shared with our readers AT YOUR SOLE PERMISSION and would be in strictest confidence, with names, locations, details changed to protect privacy as we've done before when given permission, and with no contact information ever shared. If, after a post goes up, you change your mind and would like it to be removed, we'll do that too.)

I agree that we ought to return to the original focus of the blog.

It will be difficult for both Emily and for me, and will require Emily sifting the comboxes perhaps more frequently, but perhaps with fewer of my posts about things that outrage me media-wise, abortion-industry-wise and such, that will be less difficult, since there won't be any focus on anything other than the aftermath and the help required by people to begin to overcome the aftermath.

I think reverting to the original focus is key. I also can't help but wonder if it would also be key to the kind of broader hope that Emily and I share. If more women feel safe to share here, to seek support or resources here, then perhaps, over a long period time, the other, broader goal I think Emily and I share personally could be realized--to see abortion not be the only or main place women in crisis pregnancies feel they have to turn--just by virtue of having helped more and more women who are suffering from lack of support after the fact.

It's not a subversive agenda, it's just honoring the original intent of Em's blog and, most importantly, the needs of those couple hundred women daily.

Bear with us while we fine-tune it back to the original intent. And while I rein in my "NooYawk" outrage at some things. (Naaman, this means you too!) I may post such stuff over at the overflow/personal blog (will provide links when necessary) but will ask that no comments to such posts be made back here at the After Abortion blog. People can always email me their comments to the off-topic items.

We are not, after all, a political blog, nor a "Godblog." We are a "women in need of help after abortion" blog, first and foremost.

Don't hesitate to email me or Em if you need help other than that, though. I'm still getting emails from women whose unborn children were diagnosed with Trisomy 18 and they needed help finding support from others who chose not to abort and managed OK.

I'll always be available for help such as that, in any matter of respecting life from the moment of conception to natural death.

It will be quiet while Em's gone this week or so, but I always check emails, so write me if you'd like to take Anonymous up on her great suggestions:

What about having a day where readers/commenters share their story, like in AA, what it was like, what happened, what it's like now. Or of just healing stuff, letters to our aborted children, poems. Readers could send them in to you. What about highlighting more about Rachel's Vineyard and other healing groups. Maybe some group leaders would be willing to share?

What about having that not just be for a day, but all the time? This place was meant to be that "super safe place to share." I think we can all try to make it that kind of place.

I'll go first, in the next post, with the letter I wrote to my child on my Rachel's Vineyard retreat.