A thoroughly insightful take on it. To some extent I did want to imply how arbitrary the rules of 'salvation' and 'damnation' might be, especially for certain religions that put so much weight on 'acts and deeds' versus what is truly in one's soul.

I am so glad you found the mother's decision to be an act of love, since in its simplest form that is really all it was. She did not know what she was giving up by doing it. The act was certainly painful for her as a mother, but she did it for her children to spare them from something worse.

Thank you so much for reading, and your thoughts!