While February is the shortest month out of the year, it is packed with various holidays and recognitions. From the important month-long commemoration of Black History Month to the fun (and honestly strange!) tradition of Groundhog Day, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate in February. A cherished celebration is Valentine’s Day, a holiday that reminds us to show some love to the important people in our lives, such as significant others, friends, and even those in our local communities.
There are three main types of love: eros (romance), philia (friendship), and agape (universal). All three forms of love are important, as different relationships require different levels of love.
While eros and philia may be the most recognizable forms of love, and the ones that Valentine’s Day typically promotes the most, agape is an essential form of love for the prolife movement. It is a universal, charitable form of love and guides our general desire to help, cooperate with, and do good deeds to those around us, even people we may have just met.
We do not need to know a woman going through an unexpected pregnancy on a deeply personal level to show her love. Directing her to rtl.org to find her local Pregnancy Resource Center, providing assistance like driving her to doctor appointments, or even just letting her know that she has someone to turn to for emotional support are ways we can express agape love. By letting her know that she has support should she make the choice for life, we are showing love for both her and the unborn child.
Abortion is not love. Despite being promoted as “healthcare,” abortion leaves many women feeling broken and alone. To truly show love to a woman going through an unexpected pregnancy, she must feel as though she has every opportunity to make the choice for life.
Pro-abortion Michigan legislators have stripped abortion clinics of health and safety regulations, causing a 38% increase in serious complications from abortion in 2023. They have removed the requirement for abortion reporting, meaning we will not know how many women have similar complications in the future. They have fought in support of the preliminary injunction placed on the 24-hour waiting period and informed consent law, leaving women vulnerable and without proper education on abortion side effects. And Governor Whitmer and her allies have said that removing parental consent is part of their agenda, creating serious danger for minors. Making abortion more dangerous for women is not showing them love.
Valentine’s Day reminds us that at the heart of Right to Life’s mission is agape love. We work to help and care for the most vulnerable in our state, protecting against abortion, physician-assisted suicide, and euthanasia. Please join us in our mission and help spread love to those who need it.
Email any questions to Danny Earl at [email protected].