Tears of Joy

The last couple of blog posts dealt with the tears of sadness over the lost years but I also need to make it clear that there were many tears of joy as well.

          As far as searching for your birth mom goes, I don't think you can get a better ending than this. Not only was she overjoyed, but to top it off, we connected a few days before Mother’s Day. I couldn’t have even planned that if I tried! How awesome to finally be able to wish your biological mother a Happy Mother’s Day after 45 years of separation! That happy day, Pamela told family members about losing and finding me, as well as discovering that she now has 4 “new” beautiful grandchildren and a great son-in-law. They have warmly welcomed all of us into their family, and in doing so I have just inherited hundreds of new relatives, including an ecstatic brother Pierre, who, if we didn’t hold him back, would have been on the first flight out of Bermuda to see his little sis! What a precious gift to enjoy, it was certainly a Mother’s Day that neither of us will ever, ever forget. I even got to pass along a great big hug and kiss to my Mom and to thank her from my island Mom for all she has done for me in raising me well. You just can’t top the feelings of joy of that first complete Mother’s Day, for all of us.

Emotions are still strong as I reflect over the fact that at the hospital all those years ago, she held me, she kissed me, and she lovingly handed me over to others, trusting and hoping that I would have a better life than she could offer at the time. She wasn’t angry, bitter, or repulsed at the thought of this little baby that wasn’t even conceived out of love. She really did love me, and welcomed me into this world with open arms despite knowing she would be leaving that hospital with empty arms. God has an amazing way of redeeming brokenness and restoring relationship. Not only has Pamela found her baby girl, but I am once again welcomed with loving, open arms.

This time though, we’re never letting go.