June 24, 2022, will forever be etched in the American story as the day we took one giant leap in the fight against despair. It is the day that America decided to hope again. It is the day that Roe v. Wade was added to the trash heap of history.

While reading the Supreme Court ruling in the Dobbs v. Jackson case, I could not help but think about the famous commercial produced by President Ronald Reagan’s 1984 presidential campaign that became known as the “Morning in America” ad. The ad shows a family buying their first home and a young couple getting married surrounded by their loved ones. It is a very simple ad, but it is incredibly refreshing. For a while, I could not figure out why that campaign ad kept popping up in my head while reading the Dobbs decision. But when I began reading the dissenting opinion of the court, it hit me. I realized there is a profound difference in the way Justice Clarence Thomas views the world compared to Justices Kagan, Sotomayor and Breyer. That difference is hope.

At its core, abortion is one of the greatest acts of despair that mankind has ever performed. What does it say about a country that is afraid to love its children? How can we be a country that stands for liberty and justice for all when we destroy the most innocent and voiceless among us? When did that become freedom?

As someone who has been pro-life for as long as I can remember, I have heard countless pro-abortion arguments over the years. And even though I wholeheartedly disagree with them, to an extent, I can understand them. The arguments are based on lies, but they are compelling, nonetheless. Fear and despair are incredible motivators, but they should never have the final word. For 50 years, the abortion industry has hidden behind the precedent of Roe, but that time is over. Now that the fight returns to the states, the abortion debate will become what it has always truly been: the battle of hope vs. despair.

The pro-life movement has been working to overturn Roe for 50 years, and I could not help but tear up when I realized how incredible this moment was. All of those young lives that will now be saved will have the chance to smile at a sunrise and enjoy the beauty of a friend’s laughter. They have dreams and talents that can now be shared with the world. Like you and I, their story is now part of the great American story.

Congratulations, America, it is morning again! So, once you are done enjoying your coffee, get to work and remind our friends that there is reason to hope. If our goal is to make abortion unthinkable, let’s show the world how joyful the gift of life can be.