Fishing, Plato, and Infertility

In today's world there is little that is off limits. We live in a culture that leaves nothing to the imagination, and social media creates the facade that we really know each other. But sometimes we forget that there are topics that are not easily broached even by the closest of friends. We see illusions of people's lives around us, and we become more isolated in our hardships, believing that no one else suffers in the same way as we do. We are afraid to cast a line and see if we get any "bites," revealing that we are not alone. We fear that we will have cast our bait, that no one will come, and then we will stand exposed and alone in our particular hardship.

Due to a number of factors, infertility is now affecting 1 in 6 couples who are trying to get pregnant. Unless you or someone you directly know deals with this heartbreaking issue, you may not have even given this topic a second thought. This topic is not widely discussed for so many reasons, and there are only so many dead ended conversations a person can have about it. A spouse cannot fix it for you, there's only so many comforts friends can offer, and at the end of the day you're at the mercy of your body and God's intervention. Waiting is a cruel thing. Waiting has emotional highs and lows and has disappointments that will punch you in the gut month after month. When you can't get pregnant all you notice is every single pregnant woman and every single tiny baby that simply isn't your own.

I have been reminded of Romans 12:15 throughout the last year. It says, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." The challenge for some is striving to rejoice with those who may have something they do not, while others are asked to reach down and grieve with those who have a deficit worth grieving. Life is quite the give and take, and certainly it is not fair. We are asked to walk through things we never thought we'd survive, and sometimes our lives don't unfold in the way that we plan. People's lives aren't always as they seem. Plato said it best when he said, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." Although part of my sorrow over the last year surrounds our struggle to become pregnant without success, others may facing a different sorrow. At the end of the day when the dust settles we are all fighting some sort of hard battle. Our call is to fight our selfishness and rejoice with those who are rejoicing, and to be sensitive in our celebrations when we grieve with those are hurting.

As I continue to grow and develop, I realize there is a balance between over exposing every area of your life to anyone who will listen and hiding away important pieces of your life because it's too painful to be exposed for others to see. As we all struggle in our hard battles, I encourage all of us to look into those around us and offer sensitivity and love even if we don't know how it's needed and to also to be bold enough to throw out some lines. Be brave where others are not yet ready and be willing to encourage people who just need to know they're not alone. As we throw out our lines and grab each others' bait, we form connections with one another and somehow we hold a little less tightly to our pain and hardship and little tighter to each other.

Whitney