Anger breeds anger

These last few weeks, I have taken to volunteering as an escort at Planned Parenthood on Saturday mornings. Protestors come and taunt the people walking to the clinic. They yell at them, call them names, hand them pictures of dead babies - all this despite the fact that the vast majority of the people coming to this clinic are coming for reasons other than abortion. Our job as escorts is simply to walk with the people from their cars to the clinic and keep them engaged so they don't hear the horrible things the protestors are yelling. If there are enough of us, we form a little circle around them to keep them from being harassed altogether.

It is a very rewarding experience, but it is a difficult way to begin a Saturday - surrounded by so much hatred. I feel as though I am one of the few volunteers who feels no ill-will towards the protestors. They are there, standing up for what they believe, just like I am - why can't we be pleasant to one another?

One of the protestors has taken to saving my soul. He quotes scripture to me and tells me about my sinful ways. I usually listen quietly, always excusing myself politely when another car pulls up. It is odd, but I almost feel as though we could be friends soon - his feelings seem quite genuine. Even if I disagree with what he says, I have come to appreciate the effort.