A Lost Potential

Yesterday my daughter went to get an ultrasound for her nine-week pregnancy. It was a pregnancy that had not been announced beyond the grandparents and last night was supposed to be the official announcement. I was excited to be the bearer of good news.

But, when my daughter called, she was nor excited at all. She was sobbing. Apparently the fetus (I choose to call a child) had died two weeks ago. Her body had not yet recognized the death so she continued to have all the symptoms, including morning sickness, etc.

This, after having had a miscarriage just prior to getting pregnant with this child. She is a very sensitive young woman, especially when it comes to having a family. She and her husband want to have several children of their own, and then adopt some in need. He is a doctor...a second year resident doctor right now. They are both people of faith.

She wonders why. She is confused. She thought she had inner peace about this one. I am wondering too. I rarely get confused because I have learned the hard way, that God is smarter than I am and has a much bigger picture of life than I do.

But I wonder...who would this child have been? A precious little girl to delight us with her drama? Would she have danced and written stories and poems and sang beautiful songs? Would this child have been a fantastic boy? Would he have discovered some new device or insect or way to defy gravity? We will not know. Wondering will not do us any good either.

It saddens me greatly to have lost this child. But sadder still are the ones lost every day to choices made by their moms. Unwise lifestyle choices. Fear and panic. I understand why someone would be devastated to find themselves pregnant and too fearful to carry it on. But...what are we losing of our future? ARe we losing the very people who may discover cures for diseases ravaging humankind? Could these children be the discoverers, teachers, heroes that now the world we have to survive without? It makes one wonder...