today on oprah..

If you still have a chance I encourage you to watch Oprah today. I was drawn to the premise of the show "Wombs for Rent" Lisa Ling investigates Indian Women who are being surrogates for women all over the world who are desperate to have children. It was heart warming and interesting to hear the story of a couple who have gone through the process and are now awaiting the birth of their first child in India... I am not usually one to go to Oprah's message boards but was drawn there this afternoon to see what other people were saying. It is interesting to me to see the divide and also the hostile opinions people have on this subject. I've come across this before in the blogging world and maybe its just the anonymity of the internet that makes people so brash.
One woman went so far to say that women who "sell their bodies" to surrogacy are just like prostitutes... some people will say these women in India are being used, and exploited but why do we always have to go to such extremes to defend our own opinions. I saw this story as a beautiful way this american woman and this indian woman were helping each other achieve the dreams they never thought possible. I saw the smile the woman in India had as she showed us her new house that actually had walls and protection from the harsh elements.. the pride as she talked about sending her children to receive education they never though possible. And although I do not know the sorrow that must be unbearable for a woman who cannot conceive her own child you saw the relief and excitement in the american couple when they were told "congratulations your going to have a baby!"
Yesterday Dave and I watched a new show on Discovery Health called "Jon & Kate plus eight" Jon & Kate have 5 year old twins and 2 year old Sextuplets. At times its hard for me to watch only because I find twins difficult and I cannot imagine having more.. she is my hero! Its their beautiful family. When the doctor showed them the six heads in their first ultrasound he was quick to tell them they could discuss reduction. Jon & Kate told him absolutely not. Did they think this would be easy? NO! But they were ready to become parents and this was their path.
We each have our own ways we choose to live on this earth.. to help, to not help, to judge, to not judge, to make peace or war. What we do and say can have an affect on people we do not know. I want to choose to celebrate the joy in life. So heres to Jennifer & Kendell and their baby in India, to the women of India who just long for a better life for their children and to Jon & Kate. I am in awe and inspired by all your journeys to become life givers.