What Adoption Means to Me

So, what does adoption mean to me?  Well, as I mentioned before I always knew I was adopted...I just didn't really know what that meant until I got older.  I just thought it meant I was "special"...mainly because I garnered so much attention from my extended family (cousins, aunts and uncles).  I was the youngest cousin for a long time (until my younger sister and brother, the twins, were born when I was 6) and you have to admit Asian babies are pretty cute!  So, I definitely got spoiled with love and attention.

I'm not exactly sure when I actually realized what adoption really meant or how I was different from the rest of my family, so I guess it was a gradual process of understanding for me...or quite simply when I was blatantly called out for being different from my family.  But, that didn't really happen until I moved to Texas (that I can recall).  There weren't a lot of groups or associations where we lived growing up, so there really wasn't that support system or camaraderie built among similiar families near us.  I do remember going to one function with other kids who looked like me when I was very young and thought "Wow, there are other kids that look like me out there."  I really hadn't thought of it before, but it was nice to see.  Other than that, there weren't any camps or language classes that I attended that were either for Korean adoptees or adoptees in general growing up.  I wasn't exposed to the culture, really, until we moved to Texas...and that's not necessarily a good or bad thing.  I'll share my thoughts on that at a later time.

Adoption encompasses so much and can mean slightly different things to different people (depending on where and how you grew up...your environment).  In general, I think adoption means two loving and open-minded parents extending their hearts, home and happiness to a child that truly needs it.  There are always different and unique circumstances behind that statement and again, the environment (nature vs. nurture), that is a huge variable that makes every adoption different. 

For me, adoption means growing up in a loving and supportive family, extended family and community that embraces me whole-heartedly.  I never knew I was 'different' growing up because no one treated me any differently than any other kid there.  So, for me growing up in that environment shaped my whole outlook and perception on adoption.  Not every adoptee has that experience so I feel extremely lucky and blessed for that.  Adoption also means that a very brave and loving individual (my birth mother) made the heartbreaking decision to give me up in the hopes of a better life.  And, that God had a plan for my life that led me to my parents who have loved, cared for and protected me my entire life.  Overall, I truly think that adoption means LOVE.  Love from a birth parent(s) that loved me enough to let me go and love from my adoptive parents to welcome me with open arms.  It's that simple...but, can also be very complicated for a lot of families.