Just finished reading the novel, Secret Daughter, by Shilpi Somaya Gowda. The story takes place in India and the United States and centers on two mothers...a birth mother and an adoptive mother. Both mothers seem saddened by the birth of a beautiful daughter. The Indian mother regretted having to give her daughter up for adoption to insure that her daughter would live. The American mother is saddled by her inability to have children and the many failed pregnancies.
As a mom of two adopted kids from Korea, I can say that we have been made rich by the experience. Our kids, a brother and sister, came to us as older kids, aged 10 and 6. They persevered in a land where the language was new and made their way. Our house was filled with activity and energy. Swimming, soccer, camping, picnics, household chores, Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts, cooking for a large family...all sources of stress, positive stress.
When I told my mom that we were going to adopt these kids, she scolded me for paying big money for "throwaway children." Yes, the amount we paid could have bought an economy compact car in those days but what a wealth of happiness we have gained through the years. Rather than investing in material things, pets, or transient pleasures, we invested in human lives. Our kids are now adults and making their way in the world. How much more happy can parents be?
