By Addison McCarty, grade 6
Opportunity. Free will. Intellect. Faith. Individual. These words create a culture of life. A culture of life gives everyone the opportunity to live. It allows us free will to make our own choices and the potential to become who we are meant to be. Our intellect helps us see the big picture and realize that life will not always be easy. We need to be brave to face the many challenges in life. A culture of life includes faith to make good choices and to be a good person with God in our lives. Each individual is unique and different. We all deserve a chance to live our lives to the fullest. It should be OUR choice.
I think a culture of life starts with my family and me. Together we help others and spread our kindness. We want to set a good example for others through giving. Some ways we do this is by packing meals at Feed My Starving Children, volunteering our time in the community, and donating money and toys to needy kids. These acts of kindness, no matter how small, show others that we care for them. They also create a chain reaction of giving. My favorite is the feeling of happiness I have when helping others. This also helps us build our relationship with God.
Respecting others helps build a culture of life by setting a good example for others. It also builds up their souls and strengthens our faith. Instead of working alone in life, it is better to work together. We can accomplish more when we work together. For example, a priest serving Mass gives his time to others to share God’s word and inspire others. When I’m at church I learn God’s teachings and Jesus’ acts of kindness. This helps me to always be kind to others and spread God’s word. This is possible because my parents gave me a chance at life and a Catholic education.
Embracing a culture of life will help us build a peaceful, accepting country—a country where there is not a lot of sin. People have faith and hope in God even when times are hard. If we don’t embrace a culture of life, there could be a lot more sin in the world. Also, we would miss out on getting to know amazing people and what they could do for our world. This is why it is important to be pro-life. This week at our church we witnessed 100 crosses representing babies who did not have a chance at life. Being pro-life is also important to show others that we can give children a chance at life and the gift to live to the fullest. A culture of life is a big, brave step that we need to take. At times, it may be a hard step because you will encounter things in life. You may be bullied or be going through a hard time. You need to help people during these times. All you need to do is have faith in God and believe He will help you through your journey of life. Pro-life is our opportunity; free will, intellect, faith, and our choice as an individual help us to do our part.
Addison McCarty won an honorable mention in Category 1 of CLSP and IEW’s 2018 Pro-Life Essay Contest.
This article has been reprinted with permission and can be found at cultureoflifestudies.com/2018-essay-contest/honorable-mention-addison-mccarty/#.XYj2qyhKjIU.
The 2019 Essay Contest will be announced soon! Check here for details!