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Given The Option:
Choose Adoption
And it came to pass in this modern world of ours that thousands of children would languish feeling unloved and unloveable. Are they not human? If you cut them do they not bleed? If you smite them do they not cower? If you praise them do they not smile?
In this country there are hundreds of 'special' children waiting, hoping, dreaming of having a forever family all of their own. While infants rarely have long to wait, older children sometimes wait patiently through their entire childhood. Unfortunately, once a child passes his/her third birthday, they rapidly approach "unadoptability" because parents want infants. For many of the children waiting for their forever family, years will come and go. For some, the wait never ends.
For the lucky few, a forever family suddenly appears when we least expect it. Someone steps forward and says, I'll take this child warts and all. Many of today's older children who are waiting for a family have "warts", emotional baggage which takes a special person to deal with and over come. While some are physically or mentally handicapped, the vast majority have only one problem, their age.
Imagine if you will, being five years old, wondering if you will ever have a mommy or daddy you can call your very own. Think of being seven knowing all the other children in your classroom have parents, brothers and sisters, while you don't even have a home to call your own. See a nine year old watching a parent hug their child after the game - am I unloveable? Sit with the 12 year old in his "Court of Honor" knowing his achievments will go unnoticed by anyone besides his Scoutmaster. Walk with the young teen just emerging into the world, wondering what is so wrong with him that nobody wants him for their son. Consider the teen, dressed for the Prom, the one still hoping there is a forever family in his future. Yes, they're out there -- patiently waiting for someone, anyone, to open their heart and say "come on in, there's room for everyone".
While each year some of us find our family, thousands do not. The rolls of older children waiting lengthen day by day, month by month, year by year. The hope dims with each passing day, although the spark never dies. Every time the phone rings, or someone knocks on the door the unvoiced question is asked, "are you my family?"
I will without hesitation say adopted children are special. We are the chosen over the chance. Our parents have fulfilled not only their dreams but ours. One wonders what would have become of some children had they not been adopted? One wonders if they would have achieved the prominence? I"m sure their inate talents would have emerged with, or without being adopted, yet one still takes pause to consider the possibilities. Some adopted children never make a splash beyond their family, some achieve local fame, still others become nationally known. Two nationally known adoptees: Former President Gerald R. Ford and Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy's Restaurants. Would it have made a difference in their lives if they had not been adopted? No one knows, but I'd be willing to bet it would have. It has made a difference in my life!
Every state in the nation has older children waiting patiently to be adopted. Every night another prayer is wafted toward heaven that a family be found. How well some popular songs make a case for the older child waiting for someone to adopt them. In particular "Somewhere Out There" from American Tail keeps running through my mind.
SOMEWHERE OUT THERE
Somewhere Out There,
Beneath the pale moonlight,
Someone's thinking of me,
And loving me tonight.Somewhere Out There,
Someone's saying a prayer,
That we'll find one another,
In that big somewhere out there.And even though I know
How very far apart we are,
It helps to think
We might be wishing
On the same bright star,And when the night wind starts
To sing a lonesome lullaby,
It helps to think we're sleeping
Underneath the same big sky!Somewhere Out There,
If love can see us through,
Then we'll be together,
Somewhere Out There,
Out where dreams, Come true...
More Famous Adoptees
