Building a New Heart
Meeting my Adopted Son's Brother and Sister
When I heard
that his mom was a faith-based fitness instructor
and his dad was a corrections officer
I thought twice about taking you to meet your brother.
And when I remembered
that your relatives weren’t able to care for you
and I recalled the conversations with them
that brought you to us
I dreaded packing the car and heading East.
But when I saw
your eyes staring back at me
when we met your brother
and I watched your faces melt into smiles
as you danced and played
and laughed and yelled
I knew this was the right place to be.
And when I watched
the two of you run up to your little sister
on the side of a hill
and she looked just like you
and just like him
and all of a sudden you were building roots
and healing broken connections
and we were all learning who you are,
I was embarrassed that I had been afraid to bring you here.
So when I listened
to your laughter on the long ride home
as you talked about your family,
and I began to understand
how you put it all together,
I started to cry.
“I feel like I have a new heart,” you said,
and drifted off to sleep.
About the Creator
F Cade Swanson
Queer dad from Virginia now living and writing in the Pacific Northwest. Dad poems, sad poems, stories about life. Read more at fcadeswanson.com
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