My Dad was so proud of me for having an abortion

I was 19 when I found out I was pregnant. I was expecting it, as my lover had had a vasectomy failure scare just a few months before. We were scared, excited, and then really really scared out of our minds. It felt like the world was crashing around us. I am a student at the time and he was a student too. We felt like everything was ending and our lives were in danger. <br><br>My friends were not very supportive, they said all the expected stuff such as the R word and it's just a bunch of cells. I wanted to scream at them, I was not sure, I was scared, and I did not know what to do. I wanted someone to talk to. I wanted someone to just listen to me. It felt like I was a failure and my life was ruined. I was crying a lot, I was so anxious and sad. I just felt like I was doing everything wrong. <br><br>I called my parents, and told them everything. I was so scared. I was afraid they would judge me, and tell me how terrible I was. I was afraid that they would say the things my friends were saying. <br><br>My Dad and Mom were silent for a moment. They breathed in and then thanked me for telling them. They said they were here to help me. They said that no matter what I wanted they would help me through it. I cried and cried. I felt so different. I felt like a person again. I felt like I could make decisions about my own life. And I felt like I had someone who cared for me. I was not a failure. <br><br>We sat down in a cafe and talked for hours. They were glad that I wasn't having a baby. They did not use the R word. They said that it was a very difficult time and I would be single with a small baby. It scared them that my boyfriend could be a bad person to me, and that I had to suffer even more. <br><br>Then my Dad said that he was so proud of me. He said that I was a great daughter. I was a great person. I was so brave and smart to be able to make good decisions for myself. He said I shouldn't feel embarrassed, and that everything would be okay. My mom said the same things. They hugged me, and we hugged together for like 30 minutes. <br><br>We decided that I was going to have the abortion. They came with me to the clinic, and waited for me until it was done. I was sad, and I still grieve sometimes. But I know that they are with me no matter what. <br><br>They said that I would always be their girl. I was their baby, and I was not a failure. They said that I should try to be happy sometimes, because I deserve it. They said everything would be okay. And it has been okay. I was sad for a long time, but my life has been a life of happiness for over a year now. <br><br>Thank you. Thank you for being my role models, for being my hope, for being my everyday heroes.