Additionally, and slightly more profound for me, is that I actually married a man that kept me closeted as well. I was not conscious of this of course but it became painfully obvious when I started to tip toe out of the birthmother closet and he rushed to put me back in. This too was my own doing. I did not want to deal openly with my own horrors so I sought loved ones who helped me keep the door closed.
That's me. Exactly. I didn't even know it until I read these words.
When I read the above blog post comment, it was a HUGE ah-ha moment for me. I am scared to death to fully come out of that closet in real life. I am scared about my relationships that are built on the lies of denial. Scared to open my heart, only to be hurt. I am allowing the people in my life who are not comfortable with my coming out of the closet to keep me there.
For the last year or so, I have been slowly creeping back into that closet. Slowly closing my heart off again. Scared to completely open up my heart to my son because I worry that he doesn't want or need it. Scared to open up to my family (specifically my husband and in-laws ~ who are more like parents to me than my own) because I fear that they won't understand it, or worse ~ that they don't care to understand.
When my son and I first reunited 20 months ago, I wanted to stand on the highest hills and scream to the world that my son was alive and well. That I had four, not three children. It felt so freeing to be able to talk about him, to acknowledge my true identity, not the lies I had been living for almost 30 years.
Then I started getting the mixed reactions from people. People that said they were happy for me, yet uncomfortable talking about my son. The people that told me what a wonderful thing I had done. The people that responded to my deep desire to meet Christopher in person by telling me that I had to remember that I gave him up, that I had to honor that. The people that were confused by me calling him my son, since I didn't raise him.
I could have written that myself.
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ReplyDeleteSending you hugs and much love.
(((Susie))) I am so sorry that people are insensitive. He is your son. If they're confused about who he is after you've explained, they're closed minded and ridiculous. When they tell you that you gave him up and that you need to respect that, they are talking nonsense. You two are family. Those of us intimately familiar with adoption are all too often told what words and concepts are acceptable. My new thing is to say, "I refuse!"
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone! You are a huge comfort, knowing that others really do understand...
ReplyDeleteDon't budge from your feelings, your gut. Do what you have to do. Those who truly love you will understand and support you. The others, not worth your angst. Take your stand outside the closet, as scary as that might be, and don't look back. Find out who really loves you.
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