There are over 150 million orphans worldwide, and over 18 million of those have lost both parents. This month is National Adoption Month. It encourages us to all attune more to the orphan crisis globally and participate in some small or large way to set the intention of taking better care of children on this planet. Every child born deserves a family. Our commitment to their wellbeing should never be confined to geographical border, for all children born are “our” children.
We at CMomA came across this Dave Thomas Foundation post on Facebook, which is the image imbedded in this blog post. We are grateful to them for calling attention to the misperception that somehow being a middle aged adult impacts our capacity to connect with and care for a child in need. We could argue in fact that for many of us, our longer life experience makes us even more equipped. Yet, individuals and couples age 50+ are at the mercy of many adoption laws that prohibit the possibility of supporting even an older child by inviting them into ours lives and our homes. All the while, millions of children remain stuck in the institutionalized system which atrophies their development and blunts their spirit.
The truth is… it’s never too late for a child to be adopted and we are never too old to adopt. A 15-year-old who is adopted, sponsored or mentored by a 75-year-old, for example, would be part of an extraordinary mutual blessing—giving the lifeline that helps catapult that growing child, nearing adulthood, to reach his/her human potential, while also giving the older adult a more fulfilling life experience and richer legacy.
May we bolster our awareness about this issue and become activists in impacting legislation designating age limits on adopting a child. There are so many children in our back yard and across our borders that are yearning for connection. This kind of connection is not limited to adoption. It can also be in the form of foster-care, academic sponsorship, mentorship, and friendship. Our job as a responsible society and caring global community is to give these children the childhood and future that is their birthright. They need us, and we need them, too… now, and later to become the foundational support on which our future as a species relies.
Marcy Cole is the founder of the Childless Mothers Connect Community. In addition to her tireless work with CMomA, she is also the founder of First Tuesdays, a robust women’s networking organization in Los Angeles, the author of numerous books and articles, and maintains a thriving practice as a holistic psychotherapist. Her services include Individual, Couple and Family Counseling, Group/Corporate Consulting, Workshops and Live Speaking Engagements.
To learn more about Dr. Marcy Cole, visit the CMomA Founder page.
Paula
This really resonated with me, Marcy. I have had many goes at adopting (in the UK), but when I gave up after over 2 years of trying, I was told that I was still, and always would be, an ‘approved adopter’ if I would like to consider this again. I’m now 58, and have found SOME ways to kind of ‘adopt'; but in my heart of hearts, I would still like to for real.
Thanks for your thought-provoking post.