Love and Loss

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Today is my youngest daughter and crew members birthday. Today she turns 10, my baby is growing up.

You may wonder why I titled this post “Love and Loss”. In case you don’t know, my daughters are adopted. Therefore, birthdays always bring love and the thought of loss with them.

The loss that a mother felt relinquishing her daughter after 9 months of getting to know her. Then there’s the love she had for her, knowing that in her loss, she was giving her a better life than she had. We really don’t know for sure, but that’s what I like to envision and hope.

We always fill this day full of love but also remember that a mother is somewhere half-way around the world probably still thinking of her loss.

And that brings me to the second purpose of today. To remember and memorialize. Which also brings about love and loss.

My thoughts turn towards my grandmother. The loss her and my grandfather felt when they learned their son was missing in action in the Korean War. The loss they felt when they shipped his dog tags and boots back; boots that clearly were not his.

And then the love. For the remainder of her 92 years, she searched. She searched for a son that might still be alive. A son she so dearly wanted to hug and hold again. The love of a mother.

So whatever memories come to mind to you today, don’t forget the love. Love and hope is what gets us through the tough times.

{HUGS} from the Crew!