Marriage: A Leap of Faith -- or is infertility?

Marriage.... a leap of Faith?

That was the headline that greeted me as I read my local newspaper this morning. Specifically, a response to a Dear Abby type of column. What can I say? I don't like reading "hard news" before the first cup of caffeine has settled nicely into my veins! lol Any who... getting back to that column title.

The advise column/article instructs a girl to think of marriage as a "leap of faith." Say what? A leap of faith? Boy... I guess I'm antagonistic, or a pessimist then. A leap?

I know I'm deathly afraid of heights, and maybe that's why I'd never consider ANY leap from any where. You can make darn sure that I would know what I was leaping into. It also says that you make the choice to believe that things will work out.

Again, what? huh?

For me, I knew 100%, no questions asked that marriage was the thing for me -- including who I chose to marry. There wasn't a single ounce of "faith" involved. That didn't exactly sound right -- not a single ounce of leap of faith involved. He was the one. Our marriage was going to work. Why? Because I knew without a shadow of doubt. It had been proven as we had been through most tribulations that people experience in a lifetime. We dated for 13 years. Leap of faith? Nope.

I cannot think of one single time when my life took on a "leap of faith" attitude. Leaving for college? Nope. I had done my research - I knew the school was a good one. The dorm was where I chose. Single room vs. shared - chosen.

Moving to Phoenix - leap of faith? No way. I made multiple trips there to make sure that a.) had a job -- both long term and short term; b.) knew that I could afford to live there by myself w/out outside support; c.) would I love it. No leap of faith involved.

Meeting my husband and dating him? Not even then. We got to know each other for 3 months before our first date ever happened. I already knew that we'd get along great. DIDN'T know that my knees would buckle the first time he kissed me though. That was a total surprise. No faith involved there either.

Leap of faith? Such strange words to ponder.

Now when I finally gather enough courage to jump out of a plane for the first time...THAT would be the ultimate leap of faith...or death.

The real leap of faith happens when you enter in to the world called infertility.


Infertility.... the real leap of Faith

The road that gets us to a childless life is never a short one. It is full of "leaps of faith".

First.... you and your partner take the leap from "we're having fun" to "we'll start trying" to get pregnant stage. You have all the faith and hope that you will succeed. It may take time, it might not -- but it's a giant leap, don't you think?

Then the leap to the visiting the family doc or OB-GYN. You'll get a pep talk about doing this or that, and you leave having "faith" that all will work out.... just take that leap. When it doesn't, you leap into the world of RE's -- infertility specialists. You have faith that He/She is all-knowing, and ever powerful to get you pregnant. You take that leap.

You put your faith in every single pill you swallow, test taken, IUI, and then the grand-daddy of them all.... IVF. That to me, the LARGEST leap of faith. All your hopes fall onto the shoulders of that one doctor... that one u/s technician... that one embryologist. The leap that each injection will produce the E2, follies and progesterone needed to succeed. You take the leap of faith that once put under, they will retrieve all your eggs, and not leave any stragglers behind. You have faith when you leave the clinic/hospital that the embies are in good hands. Then the leap of faith that the Transfer will be done correctly, and the embies will find a nice sticky home in your uterus.

The infertility roller coaster is one giant leap of faith.... one very long, windy, rocky path that may not lead to any thing.

Yes... now THAT is a leap!!!!