Quotes often have a lasting impact on one’s life, one’s thinking, one’s philosophy. Like most words, they may have different interpretations to different people. A quote will also have a different meaning depending on where a person is in their life. There are many “adoption quotes” that will affect people in different ways, but they will be affected. They all reflect feelings that families involved in the adoption process share. Here is a shortlist of my 5 best quotes.
“Open adoption is an opportunity to build enormous bridges to families beyond your reach,” stated Kristen Gerald. To me, this sums up the meaning of what open adoption provides; it builds roads and provides the opportunity for someone to have even more family to love them.
“If there’s a cause worth fighting for it’s this: children belong in families” (Nicole Skellenger). Personally, as an adoptive mother and a home study assistant for an adoption agency, this is a very powerful statement. Many people do not think or know about the enormous number of children waiting for a family to love them.
“A child born to another woman calls me mommy. The magnitude of that tragedy and the depth of that privilege is not lost on me” (Jody Landers). What an insightful thought. We have an open adoption with my daughter’s birth family and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about her and the magnitude of her decision. It is something I can never thank her for enough.
“Families don’t have to match. You don’t have to look like someone else to love them” (Leigh Anne Tuohy). Race and stereotypes are unfortunately a prevalent aspect of our society today; assumptions about certain people groups continue to be made. Too often this is still prevalent and true about adoption and transracial adoption. People not properly informed and uneducated about adoption and transracial adoption will make comments to you about your family. But at least for me personally, those can’t overpower the love and positivity received.
“Adopting one child will not change the world. But for that one child, it will change the world forever” (anonymous). When you are in the midst of paperwork, phone calls, visits with social workers, and trips to the post office, it is hard to keep this perspective. But families must remember this statement because you need to remember that the blood, sweat, and tears will be worth it when you bring your child home.
