To the Journal editor:

I would like us to consider our family trees and especially the bud that was formed on our own personal tree — me.

When I was about 25 years old and visiting my grandmother, she suddenly informed me that my mother was 5 months pregnant with me, her first child, before she was married.

The first thought I had explained why they never mentioned or celebrated their wedding anniversaries. My second thought was that I was very thankful that they didn’t abort me. I never brought it up during their lifetime because I assumed it was too sensitive for them to talk about.

A bud on a family tree is the beginning of a unique branch that is designed to produce much fruit and seeds for the next generations. In our lives this simile is related to sharing our gifts with others, and hopefully having children, grandchildren and so on. Abortion cuts off that branch permanently.

Given the fact that 120 million branches have been cut off in our land alone, it’s reasonable to assume that most of our family trees have been “pruned.” Why 120 million? It’s because all babies need both a father and a mother. The man’s side of their tree is also severed.

I believe that all lives matter, including my own. I also believe my life has benefited other people as well. I assume you are thankful for your own life and enjoy your own children and grandchildren as much as my wife and I do.

If my mom and dad had made that “choice,” this letter would not exist. I would not have had children and grandchildren, nor any opportunity to contributed to this world.

Thank you mom and dad for choosing me. I appreciate it very much every day. Rest in peace.