Thankful

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Thankful

 

Today, a woman places her child into the arms of another. A birthmother loses a piece of her soul and the soul of an adoptive is complete. There is no anger; no resentment; just love and gratitude from two different women brought together from love, for love and to love a child.

 

Thankful. Sometimes the pain seems too intense; the loss so profound that it seems impossible to be thankful for anything. But in the midst of darkness, there is always something to be grateful for.

 

I am grateful for a woman that loves my son as much as I do.

I am grateful for a woman who sacrificed so much to raise my boy.

I am grateful that my son has a father to teach him how to be a man.

I am grateful that he has a mother to nurture him and demonstrate lasting love.

I am grateful that my son was raised with a strong faith.

I am grateful that my son had the opportunity to follow his dreams.

I am grateful that my son was able to use his athletic ability.

I am grateful that my son has had experiences that I never could have given him.

I am grateful that my son was raised in safety.

I am grateful that my son was never in want.

I am grateful that I was loved by my son's family.

I am grateful that I was included as his extended family.

I am grateful that I wasn't forgotten on holidays.

I am grateful that my son's mother was courageous enough to remember me on Mother's Day.

I am grateful that I was cared for by a wonderful adoption agency.

I am grateful that they advocated for me, my needs and my desires.

I am grateful that I have been able to use my loss to help others through theirs.

 

I could go on. I don't always feel thankful but there is always something to be thankful for. Last week, as I grieved my 23rd Thanksgiving without my son, I am still thankful for his amazing adoptive family - his real family - for making memories with him that will last a lifetime. So Happy Thanksgiving to my son and his family. Happy Thanksgiving to all the adoptive families and birth parents on this journey of love and loss. I am so very thankful for all of you!