24 Comments
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Jennifer Larsen's avatar

I can tell you that no, not all mothers who got pregnant on accident talk to their children about the choice to have them or not... I wish my mom had.

This was really beautiful... thanks for sharing <3

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Rebecca Woolf's avatar

❤️🫀❤️

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Josey's avatar

Phew. I was the kid who did get to go to Europe at 21 (but who then struggled to conceive and didn't get to be a mom until 30, we all have our different regrets, eh?), and even still this post brought me to tears. Feeling all the feels.

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Sarah Hanzak's avatar

I’m always so blown away by your writing but this one made me cry and feel all the emotions. Sometimes I let my mind wander to the life I might have had if I hadn’t had children but I always feel so much guilt and shame for even thinking about it, like if I think of that other life it’s somehow betraying the life I did choose. Thank you for, yet again, removing shame and reminding me it’s all okay. ❤️

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Rebecca Woolf's avatar

❤️

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kate's avatar

this made me cry, just beautiful

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Rebecca Woolf's avatar

❤️

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Christine D'Arrigo (once Mary)'s avatar

"How so much of healing is allowing yourself to feel sad about things that also bring you so much gratitude."

THIS!

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Rebecca Woolf's avatar

❤️‍🔥

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(Alexandra) Apple's avatar

Love this!! This quote really hits home for me: so much of healing is allowing yourself to feel sad about things that also bring you so much gratitude. 🙏🏼. Also it felt for me in reading that actually choosing to have archer was choosing you 💗 it was putting yourself first in the way that it was trusting your gut and the journey it wanted you to take! Kids are beautiful, my daughter is only 7 and she is medicine for my soul 🔥

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Rebecca Woolf's avatar

❤️

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Susan's avatar

And there is a gift in all you feel…..an understanding, honest and true…❤️

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Rebecca Woolf's avatar

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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Wendy Woolf's avatar

❤️❤️❤️❤️😭😭😭😭

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Rebecca Woolf's avatar

❤️❤️❤️

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laura hoenack's avatar

I SOBBED reading this. Love love love, so real, so beautiful, thank you for sharing

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Rebecca Woolf's avatar

I love you Laura. Thank you.

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Sheeby's avatar

As always, gorgeous writing. There are so many roads we could have taken and the bridges to those roads kind of get burned when we pass by them. I look back on what could have been and know that, while it was much more difficult, I am happy with the decisions I made and love the life I created. Part of that life has brought me to find you ( SO many years ago!) and kept me reading your brilliance. Thank you

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Rebecca Woolf's avatar

Yes. This. And THANK YOU. 🥺❤️

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An's avatar

Beautiful, Rebecca. Cried at the end.

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Rebecca Woolf's avatar

❤️

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Kara's avatar

That last line crushed me! So beautiful, so true. I understand the deep jealousy that is tied to the overwhelming joy. My son, who just turned 14 and already gets to do more things than I ever got to do myself, is named Archer, too.

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Elana Smith's avatar

You need to go!

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Mary Marbach's avatar

There are a thousand lives we could have lived. The secret, I think, is to like the one you chose.

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