Since I live across the country from my family, it’s easy for me to be not very well informed of some of the family gatherings that I can’t attend. One Thursday, my mom mentioned that my niece would be having her confirmation into the Catholic Church and thought it would be very nice for her to get a card from me. My beautiful niece, Sarah, is adopted. Feelings of not fitting in to your family really can weigh on an adopted child, even if there is no source of reality validating it. It’s the little things that causes heightened sensitivity.
Sensitivity is not a strong characteristic of her aunts and uncles. We all say a lot of stupid things, like, “If you had any more air in your head it might explode like a tire”, or “How much weight have you lost this time?” Knowing this, it was really important to have the card arrive in time for her celebration. If I could aid in proving that there really is sensitivity underneath our family’s skin, maybe that would help make a more secure world for Sarah.
With my favorite pen, on the most beautiful glittery fairy card I had ever seen, I delicately wrote a message that I had in my heart ever since her arrival into our family. I placed a Forever stamp and return address label, stuck it in my shirt, pedaled my bike to the mail carrier and placed it in his hands in hopes it would arrive on time to my precious niece’s special event. That was Thursday afternoon, the celebration was Sunday……California to remote Minnesota…” US Mail, I am rooting for you!!”
Sunday arrived and Sarah had a wonderful Confirmation ceremony. Grandparents, mom and dad, other relatives, and friends were there. Cake was waiting at home. As they pulled into the driveway my brother said, “Wait…let me get the mail, I forgot to get it yesterday”. There in the mailbox was the card. It arrived on time and was received exactly at the right moment. My mom watched as Sarah opened the card. Her eyes lit up when she opened it and filled with tears as she read the message. Everyone felt it was a miracle moment.
I felt that our family came together in a perfect moment of love and support. Maybe I had a sense of that when it was so important for me to make sure that Sarah received the fairy card in time. In that perfect moment, all past strife slipped away and a wonderful memory was created.
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