The screen was blank when I sat down in front of the computer. It’s time to write The love between adoptive and biological siblingsI am telling myself. The deadline is approaching soon. I search through my old emails and find the prompt. “We’d love for you to write a bit about the call of siblings to love well in the context of adoption and foster care.”
[Deep breath.] I “practice the pause,” a behavioral script we use with our children to provide space for reflection before taking action.
And it’s as if a playback reel begins in my memory…the moments at the theme park, throwing rocks in the creek as kids, being led in worship by my dad on the mission field, Mom being the first to approach the referee if a call in a game wasn’t fair, gripping one another’s hands tight in the wake of unimaginable loss, and now chasing our own kids through the same fields that hold our best-kept secrets and fondest childhood memories. My eyes begin to well up with tears—a blend of nostalgia and gratitude. It’s been a wild ride, and I am grateful for the opportunity to journey with my siblings.
