Recently, while visiting the NAAW (National Adoption Awareness Week) website and facebook page, I was reminded of a task I had all good intentions on completing, yet somehow had got somewhat side tracked.
The task - being my own adoption story. For the first time I have written down both locked and un-locked emotions attatched to the personal experiences I have had surrounding my adoption. For all those who have been through adoption themselves, whether it be birth parents, adoptive parents or adoptee's themselves, we all have our very own unique stories; some extremely sad to say the least.
In having finished my story, I realised there is still a lot more I have left unsaid; not on purpose, but when you sit back on reflection, you realise there is more to be said, more you didn't first realise needed saying. Everyone's own experience with adoption is so different; each of us deal with issues confronting us very differently. Some of us make the decision to contact (search) our birth origins while others are complacent with how things are, others like myself remain confused and question every motive, preventing the ability to move forward or being able to make an infinitive decision.
In saying all this, there is a real need for stories to be told; it's good therapy - really. In having told my story, it has helped me see aspects of my adoption through a different light; possibly because I have confronted my demons - well at least some for the time being.
Anyone who has an adoption experience, and feels the need to tell their story, they can do so anonymously or openly as part of the Monash Adoption Story Tellers research.
Although numerous stories have already been submitted, there is obviously many, many more that need to be contributed to make this study a success.
If you have an adoption story, visit the link and contribute. Just click on post title above, thanks.
