A Loving Launch
This past Saturday, May 31st in Boulder City, a group of special friends, supporters and contributors to the book, The Adoption Paradox, gathered to celebrate and share our stories. I’m proud this work has brought together so many different voices and begun to create its own mini-movement speaking about adoption’s real impacts in a gentle but firm light. The night was filled with connections both new and old, and the forging of many important and even unexpected relationships.
Several friends traveled to be with us. Brad, a Late Discovery Adoptee who tells his story for the book came from Dallas. A group of sisters who had been part of both adoption and the foster care system came with their families and supportive friends. Traveling from Arizona they created their own special weekend together. Dirk, another adoptee also visited from Arizona, and there were many, many other contributors who came in from the surrounding area to participate.
Also present was the publisher, Jo Wilkins, the CEO of Mystic Publishing who helped bring the book to fruition along with members of the Henderson Writers Group. I’m so grateful for their early and ongoing critiques of the book as it progressed. Missing was my editor Janelle Evans who I could not have finished without her steadfast guidance.
My good friend Hannah from San Diego along with many other of my early readers, Alan and Peggy were also there. The book would have never evolved as it did without their cherished feedback along the way.
We were also surrounded with so many dear friends locally who supported me through so many revelations as my writing evolved, cheering me on. A bestie from San Diego along with family members Dora, Vienna and Adam who joined us along with my extended Rotary family and so many others who shared in my journey. And I must thank of course my husband for his support throughout this three-year journey as I wrote, researched and worked on this book. You are the love of my life and my best friend. I could not have done this without you.
Food and drink flowed liberally, and our friend and local favorite musician Patrick Mahoney played favorite tunes to ease us into the evening.
Sharing my thoughts with you all, the stories that came after the book, and the ones that didn’t stay in it, was very special for me. Talking about this journey with all of you, this mixed crowd of those who’ve lived it and those who are only now becoming aware of the longer implications is important. And, it’s hard work.
Bein vulnerable is scary. Pushing buttons and saying hard things is uncomfortable. But honest conversations about adoption requires us to sit in squishy and frightening spaces. Places without clear definitions around them of what is right or wrong, good or bad. Because people are rarely just right or wrong, good or bad. We’re more complicated than that, but our survival instincts crave those easy boundaries. That’s the work I think this book accomplishes through all these many, beautiful voices who contributed to it. I’m so honored to have met you all and shared this journey with you. Thank you for your support! To those present to share in this joy that night, I’m so glad you came! To those who were there in spirit only, your presence was still felt.
Our hearts are full and let us please all remember to connect and trust in each other. By speaking our truths, one story at our time we can make our systems better. Thank you for being part of my life.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” ~Margaret Mead
