Cultures, in so far as I can tell, are built upon stories. It seems to be the most natural safeguard of what a group of people values–whether it’s good or bad, healthy or unhealthy.
For that reason, culture, I think, is the primary means by which, as families, as individuals, and as pro-life groups (i.e. Biking for Babies, pregnancy resource centers, pro-life student organizations) we ought to carry out pro-life work.
I say this, not simply because this is the “most effective” method as if successful pro-life work was an economics problem. I say it, because, I think it is the most human way of doing pro-life work.
It’s our best chance at changing the question of life from a political conversation to a truly human one–having the same tone and language as the conversations we have about our grandparents or memories growing up or sunsets or our moms or our dads or our siblings…
What is life then?
I don’t ask this in a political or even biological sense… simply, what is life? For someone who knows nothing of politics or philosophy or biology… what would they say? Do they need to know about those things to answer? Here’s what I would say right now at the ripe old age of 24:
Life is… a sacrifice, a challenge, fulfilling, fun, silly, crazy, surprising, amazing, tragic, traumatic, sad, hopeful, difficult, a commitment… about family, about friends, about beauty, about faith, about love, about struggles, about triumph…
I think to affirm these things is the nature of pro-life work in the most fundamental sense.
That is why B4B exists–to affirm (do something beyond our day-to-day activities) life (challenge, sacrifice, fun, fulfilling)…
I was not pro-life because my parents gave me pro-life books growing up or political pamphlets.
I was and am pro-life because it was the story that was told to me by my culture where I grew up… my family, my friends, my church, my hometown…
I was taught that life is a sacrifice when my siblings lose sleep taking care of my nieces and nephews.
I was taught that life is about faith when the only way we can truly move forward after tragedy is to acknowledge our shortcomings and trust our hearts as best we can.
I was taught that life is about beauty because the sunset is way too short.
I was taught that life is about fulfillment after a long run that hurts worse than anything–but is so satisfying.
I was taught that life is about commitment by my grandparents all married over 60 years.
I was taught that life is about friendship by people who make you believe that you are special when they call you just to shoot the breeze.
I was taught that life is about sadness and hopefulness when I watch my family, my friends, myself grow up together. (Growing old wasn’t just a story they told us. It actually happens apparently.)
I was taught that life is about challenges when my grandpas fought to protect what America stood for in WWII.
So, that is the fundamental mission of Biking for Babies–to tell the pro-life story to people who might not otherwise have the chance to hear it because maybe they weren’t blessed with those things that is what life is about. Or maybe they just need to be reminded of what life is about by having 11 sweaty 20-somethings show up at a Casey’s General Store in Mississippi.