She woke up that morning not quite feeling herself. She was light-headed and her body felt numb all over. She thought that maybe she had been the victim of some hideous virus that would eventually run its course. A few days passed but there was no improvement in how she felt.

Afternoons and nights were better but the uneasy feeling was always there. It was just during the morning that this uncomfortable and uneasy feeling would appear to dominate her. Eventually she decided to visit the doctor. After running a few tests, the doctor entered the room and informed her that she was suffering from vertigo. A 10 day prescription for steroids was written and the woman was told that she should be feeling better within a couple of weeks. Two weeks passed and the situation had not changed, it actually became worse. So this time the doctor ordered more extensive tests.

As the woman sat in the doctor’s office all kinds of thoughts penetrated her mental sky. She thought about all of the “what if’s.” You know those moments when you can only think the worst. As she sat in the examining room trying to maintain her composure, she couldn’t have been any less prepared for the physician’s report. As the doctor entered the room, her heart pounded on the wall of her chest in anticipation of the news. He was shocked himself when he said, “I would like to inform you that you are pregnant.” The source of her discomfort was the new life growing inside of her. With the shift of the political climate, many are feeling uncertain about the promise of our future. However, I believe that we are pregnant with possibilities. You see, great challenges are accompanied by great opportunities. The greater the challenge, the more we must keep our eyes open for concealed opportunities.

We now find ourselves with new life growing within us. This was an unplanned pregnancy. The most terrible mistake that we could make is to annul the life that is growing in us. It may be uncomfortable for awhile but we must embrace the opportunity granted to carry and nurture this new life.

There will be times when our appetite will long for unusual combinations of food. You see, we are no longer eating for ourselves but also for the other life that is developing. Our appetite is sure to increase! Every time we sit down at the table we have to make sure that we have more than ourselves in mind. It is necessary that we celebrate these moments because new life is within us, giving us a chance for a new perspective on life.

During this pregnancy we may appear to be losing our figures. However, it is necessary for the new life inside of this political climate to grow. This is not the time to worry about stretch marks or dress sizes. There is new life inside of us that needs room to grow. I know that there is a lot of discomfort and there will be a lot of travailing. Yet, once the new life is birth, all the discomfort and travailing will not even cross our minds because of the joy the new life will bring to all the citizenry in Dallas County and Alabama.