More on Ms. Palin

Well, thanks to Ms. Palin for reminding us of the complexities of life, political or otherwise.

I don't really know how to feel about the latest news on Ms. Palin, that her 17-year old daughter is pregnant. I would say that preventing your children from becoming pregnant before they are married is one of the goals of parenting. But that goal has always been difficult to achieve. We used to have cultural support for abstinence through the teaching of sexual morality. Now we have birth control and/or abortion. Any of these can fail, I suppose.

It does give me pause, but along with the rest of the conservative base I am energized by Ms. Palin's selection as the vice-Presidential candidate for these United States. For me, and for roughly half of this fine nation, nothing is more important than seeing Roe vs. Wade overturned. That is the hope of the McCain presidency.

It seems to be a theme for this year in my life: practicality. Life is subtle and complex, and often things don't fit into neat categories. That is not a cause to abandon high principles; that would be the way of a coward. But life will continue to challenge us and will do its best to make things confusing.

Let's hope that this election steers us more towards a culture of life. So much depends on it.