"I realized why I walk"

Continuing our series of reflections from the March for Life in D.C. in January, today's post comes from Ron, a student leader at Loyola University Chicago.It was a great day – the sun was out, I didn’t need my winter jacket, and my friends were around me.There were so many people marching, so many signs that relayed the pro-life message, and just by looking around I couldn’t comprehend the enormity of this day. The significance of this year’s march lied in “You Matter.”But I hadn’t changed out of my socks, so I was secretly wishing I could head back to the bus, rip open my luggage, and change into a different pair of socks. Alas, the crowd of thousands started moving, along with my socks.There were many moments of standby in gooey mud or being stuck in between random strangers. But slowly, my socks now became a symbol for me, for solidarity.I’ve held fairly strong pro-life beliefs before the march. But there was always something holding me back from going.Finally, giving in and getting on that bus (as cramped as it was), holding a yellow umbrella down D.C. with my crazy desire to change my socks, I realized why we walk. I realized why I walk.I realized that this wasn’t just a bunch of people with signs, rather it is a movement. And realizing that is significant because you realize that what you do in your life, you’re not doing alone.I’m willing to bet my socks weren’t the only ones unchanged that day. And in that, I wasn’t alone. We marched and continue to march in our beliefs, unchanged socks, unchanged solidarity.SFLI is so glad we can work with Ron to change hearts and minds across Illinois!