Reeling with Gratitude
I confess: I’ve spent a lifetime playing it “safe.” Unless I could spy a clear-cut path to assured “success,” I shied away from “risky” opportunities. In regards to my writing, I surmised, better to be unread than to have my creativity slaughtered by critics!
Then, I met my husband and tried to wrap my mind around his life-story:
A high school oops given up for adoption…a ward of the state for seven months…adopted by a couple who would divorce by his seventh birthday…raised solely by his adoptive father who turned to the bottle to ease his solitude…beaten routinely…escaping to join the Air Force…only to return home and helplessly watch his only parent succumb to cancer…orphaned at twenty-three…after which he would track down biological parents who ultimately wanted nothing to do with him…
???!!……………………………………………………………….!!???
First off, I could not fathom how a man forced to grow up with zero maternal love was capable of loving me so completely. Furthermore, how did a person raised under a banner of rejection and abuse achieve such sky-high dreams? I, a child blessed with a “Beaver Cleaver-type upbringing,” had known no such hardship. How could I begin to understand the anguish of not having a soul on this planet to call family?
I’m not qualified, I silently panicked! What could I offer — besides unwavering love?
I did the only other thing I felt capable of — I started writing a fictionalized version of his experience. What started out as an education about the lingering wounds of adoption, evolved into an endeavor that superseded fear. One I will never give up on until it is worthy of ALL who have walked — for whatever reason — in abandonment’s painful shoes.
Rehashing a manuscript, again and again, can leave one numb. Starting this blog inspired me to keep my writing fresh. Where I struggled in my fictional world, here I found salvation. But NEVER in my wildest dreams did I expect to find such an incredibly supportive community…
Reeling with gratitude, I can only bow my head and say — THANK YOU!
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Special Thanks to:
Teacher as Transformer who nominated me for the Very Inspiring and Sunshine Blogger Awards. He is truly the teacher we all wished we had in our younger days. I am elated to have discovered him — better late than never!
Global Light Minds who nominated me for Blog of the Year. Wendy’s daily snippets are my number one inspirational indulgence. Follow her, you won’t be disappointed!
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I wish to nominate the following blogs:
Eric M Vogt’s Blog — His intriguing background captured me from the git-go, but his amazing writing will change your world for the better…
Untetherednunbroken — Beautiful, eloquent, soul-stirring and so very real…
The Silent Muse — An incredibly prolific writer. My finger hurts from hitting the LIKE button so often…
Aarthi — I have no idea how she writes so consistently beautiful every single day…
MindRetrofit7 — Add another star already, Angel!
Global Light Minds — Add another star, Wendy!
Withering Words of Mind — Kent is new on the scene but certainly not new to the written word, what a magical find…
For all those I missed in this talented pool…or haven’t had the privilege of discovering yet, I can’t wait to read your delightful words!! XO
LUGGAGE Lady 
Its an honor and I don’t know how my words tend to impact so many… I am far less experienced and unlike you I have seen very little of people and the world… I am really happy to hear your thoughts about my work.. your story and how you came about to writing and your experiences so far. Your husband is indeed very lucky to have such a wonderful person like you. Thanks and my best wishes to you always 🙂
Ah, but you are well-traveled in heart and soul, conveying words and evoking emotion that most only dream of being able to do. I am honored to have found you. Thanks for your kindness and continuous inspiration! xo
its my pleasure to have met you too… thanks! 🙂
Congrats Shauna,
Your writing always stirs deep feeling within me. You have a gift for sharing and connecting at an emotional level. Possibly because you write about a deep passion with clarity, courage and truth. You inspire me to create more evocative posts.
Yes, you and your husband are blessed to have such love.
thanks and congratulations. You deserve it!
Brad, I honestly have no idea what I did to deserve you. Like an angel falling to earth on my behalf…WOW! Every single time, you offer such gracious support, encouragement, and the most tear-rendering remarks. I thank YOU and my lucky stars for your friendship. Sending huge hugs and blessings your way!
Thanks Shauna, Maybe we are both blessed. You words inspire me to be and do more. I wrote an ode to be published this weekend. I’d love to know what you think. Your’s inspired me to try one!
Thank you for your nomination, Lady of all Luggage, Great and Small… You are too nice to me! 🙂 Eric
I will have to ponder over this for a while… you are Atlas and you have given us the world to hld for you… 😉
It is my sincerest pleasure. I stand in awe and can’t wait to have the free time to indulge in more of your writing! xoxo
Interesting and sad story, I hope your novel will become a best seller.
Thank you so very much! Your support is greatly appreciated. Your design site looks amazing. I have spent a good deal of time in Italy and LOVE the architecture/style. Blessings to you and yours this holiday season! 🙂
i am so glad that you decide to throw caution to the wind and share your thoughts & musings here. i am inspired by your words and thoughts. congrats on the words! 🙂
Thank you dear beautiful Liz! YOU are living a truly inspiring life, and I so love seeing the world through your eyes!
You just earned another star for your Blog of the Year Award. http://dontwelookalike.com/2012/12/13/love-me-some-blogs/
I feel so fortunate and blessed to have found you. Congratulations and thanks for sharing your well-deserved stars with little old me… 🙂
I am humbled that my words resonate with you. It’s all I can hope for in blogging what I sometimes feel is more of a journal for me to help me stay on the Path. From the first post I read of yours I knew we were kindred spirits and I thank you for staying the course and continuing to honor us with your own words. I have the opposite story from yours. I was the one with the abusive childhood and parental issues. I feared I was so very broken in so many ways that no one could love me and so I sought to run away from every remotely satisfying relationship I had, determined that I was to remain alone. And then . . . just when I’d decided this was my lot in Life, there came a soul, so open, so loving, so beautiful and so patient I found the courage to stay long enough to see where it would lead and I am ever so grateful. So knowing you too were that open and loving to someone who needed nothing more than that, I tip my hat to you and thank you for not giving up on Love and Life. May your heart always be full of Love and Laughter. Peace.
Okay, you made me cry…When I think of those who have been forced down a path like yours and manage to come out the other side, it is I who am humbled. The amount of raw courage and faith required to take that chance, to put your heart out there knowing it might get trampled — again. I salute YOU for remaining open in spite of a plethora of valid reasons for closing out the world. I am continuously awed by the capacity of the human spirit. I hope your world will always be rich with joy and LOVE and that when hurdles arise you will remember the inner strength YOU possess to overcome. Hugs, Blessings, and Peace to you, my dear friend.
I understand the process of adoption, my experience in a gentle unfolding of the Universe saying “YES”. In gratitude we were able to give a gift that is invaluable. There is always gifts in challenges of life. We all carry wounds. The difference is do we live our lives from our wounds or from gaining the courage from them? Bless your experience with your husband and for sharing. In gratitude to you.
Bless YOU for being such a positive, inspiring light in the universe. Thank you for taking your valuable time to offer such lovely insight and kind remarks!! xo