You Knit Me in My Mother's Womb

An amazing thing has happened to me. I feel like I am looking at the cosmos through a spiritual Webb telescope. My maternity started as a star in the night sky at the wonder of each of my children—my baby. My maternity felt as if it were reaching further out in the cosmos as it extended across the sky over all the United States in my baby’s baby. And NOW!!! Yes!!! I feel that I am expanding beyond this universe with my baby’s baby’s baby…….. Not just the wonder of my baby; not just the wonder of my GRAND baby; it is the delight of my GRAND GRAND baby!!!!

Upon hearing the wonderful news of this Great Grand Baby, the words of the Psalmist wafted in and around and through my heart, my mind, my soul:

 You formed my inmost being;
    you knit me in my mother’s womb.

The Psalmist’s song  sent me back 30 years to 2 large plastic containers full of needlework projects far beyond what I likely will ever complete. What am I looking for? Knitting needles and baby yarn. You’ve heard of sympathy pains in labor? I think I’m having correlating JOY spasms in GREAT GRANDBABY’S knitting by God in his Mama’s womb.

 Fast forward 2 weeks from these initial thoughts and prayers and actions. 

I am bent over the produce drawer in my refrigerator unloading an avocado, 2 plum tomatoes, a bag of those cute little golden Dutch potatoes. Thank you, Wal-Mart. I clicked on my WM app 20 times to order desired items. I clicked Checkout and paid for my groceries online. I went to the store when WM texted me to. One of the 1.6 million Wal-Mart employees put all the items in the back of my car and Voila!! Here I am putting away all my items. Win. Win.

 You’re my company, Wally! I have a very insignificant stock share in you but you let me vote on the Board of Directors online and let them know I approve their policies on working toward a profitable bottom line. But as I bend down further over my refrigerator to reach the bag of carrots from my order, I remember yesterday I read that you are likely to include travel abortions as a health plan benefit to these 1.6 million people in the U.S. that Walmart employs.

Why is this news? The laws on whether and/or how the life of a pre-born person shall be protected or rejected became independent to each of the 50 U.S. states when on June 24 of this year, on the Feast of the Sacred Heart, the U.S. Supreme Court issued their decision in Dobbs v.  Jackson Women’s Health Organization. In the state of Arkansas, where the Wal-Mart company is based, abortion is banned under all circumstances unless the procedure is needed to protect the life of the mother in a medical emergency. There are no exceptions for rape or incest.

In follow-up, this is what I had read:

NEW YORK – Walmart, the nation’s largest employer, is expanding its abortion coverage for employees after staying largely mum on the issue following the Supreme Court ruling that scrapped a nationwide right to abortion.

In a memo sent to employees on Friday, the company said its health care plans will now cover abortion for employees “when there is a health risk to the mother, rape or incest, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage or lack of fetal viability.”

That means under the revised policy, Walmart employees can travel out of the state – or any other state that bans abortion for rape and incest – to obtain the procedure through the retailer's health plans.

Several companies – including Meta, American Express and Bank of America – have said they will cover travel costs for their employees in the aftermath of the high court ruling that tossed out Roe v. Wade, including elective abortions. But a Walmart spokesperson did not immediately reply for a request for comment on whether any of the company’s revised policy will cover elective abortions as well.

“It’s a step in the right direction, but it’s simply not far enough for a company that employs that many women,” said Bianca Agustin, director of corporate accountability program for United for Respect, a group that advocates for Walmart workers. She said the organization will be incorporating “safe abortions” for employees in their list of demands pressing the company for better pay and benefits.

Previously, the company’s benefits plan had covered abortion only in cases “when the health of the mother would be in danger if the fetus were carried to term, the fetus could not survive the birthing process, or death would be imminent after birth,” according to a copy of the policy viewed by The Associated Press but not confirmed by Walmart.

Donna Morris, the retailer’s chief people officer, said in the memo to staff that the new policy will also offer “travel support” for workers seeking abortions covered under its health care plans – as well as their dependents – so they can access services that are not available within 100 miles of their locations.

The careful expansion of Walmart’s abortion policy shows it is attempting to balance different pressures and opinions from employees, investors and other stakeholders, said Vanessa Burbano, a professor at Columbia University’s business school who researchers how companies take social stances.

“It’s much trickier than a lot of people initially think it is,” Burbano said. “It’s not like all of their stakeholders are of the same opinion on any of these issues, which is what makes it so challenging. They’re trying to figure out how to thread that needle.”

I’m a stakeholder in the bottom line of Wal-Mart, and using “my woman’s way of knowing-intuition”, travel abortions support the bottom line. A quick trip out of state, for the employee and even employee’s dependent, is a quick “unravel” of God’s knitting in the womb. It will be less costly than paid sick days of “morning sickness” while Mother adjusts to baby’s hormones. What about the medical insurance cost of delivery? How much paid maternity and paternity leave expense? Will we double staff to cover child sick days when parent can’t work? There will be pharmacy coverage expense.

But it is not the dollars and cents bottom line of the Wal-Mart ledger that calls out to me. It is Wal-Mart’s bottom line for ethical order. I want to support the Wal-Mart Culture that stands for the ethical order of Life: Life of the Family; Life of the Future; Life of Knitting; not life of unraveling.

Dear Board of Directors, please foster policies that stand for the bottom line of a culture of civilization. Employ those who appreciate your support of their Future for Life. The laws on whether and/or how the life of a pre-born person shall be protected or rejected in the state of Arkansas where the Wal-Mart company is based need not change. Be a leader in Corporate America; not a Corporate Follower into Chaos.

You have surpassed Amazon with your corporate policies. Be not afraid!!!!