Many years ago, I was a volunteer at Planned Parenthood. I would stand in the parking lot and escort women into the building on Saturday mornings. Some were there for a pelvic exam, others to pick up there birth control pills and some, for an abortion.  Escorts were needed because every Saturday morning, there was, and still is, a large group of people holding vigil. They are opposed to abortion. Some would scream at the women going in, but most would just walk in a circle holding rosaries, and they would pray. Occasionally, they would turn to those of us standing in the parking lot, with there arms up in the air, and the priest would lead them in prayers for us. I accepted those prayers, I needed them too. But it was very clear, there was a line drawn and sides were taken.

A week after my volunteer duty at Planned Parenthood, my husband and I drove down to Canon City to hold vigil with others opposed to an execution that was about to take place. As we pulled up to the prison, a guard asked me, "For or against?" I look quizzically at my husband, and back to the guard, and said, "Against." He motioned for me to go to the left. As I drove in, I noticed there was a large group of people on my right. They were the "For" crowd. It was dark and hard to see that night. As we walked in the crisp fall air, my feet crunched the stiff grass below. We mingled through people singing and holding candles and praying, and then, I bumped into someone. As I raised my head to see his face, I realized it was the priest from Planned Parenthood. His arms were outstretched and he was leading prayer.

Taking sides seems clear in the moment. But it really isn't. The funny thing is, there are no sides when you are not attached to being right. There is what we feel. What we do. There just is. It doesn't have to be against anybody. We can all swim in this gray world together. Staying with what is ours. The difficulty in sides is I forget the Love that drives us. The beauty in taking sides, is that is reminds me of this Love and calls me from a deep, deep place to act from it.