Put On Your Cape
I am a mom of all boys; my days a full of dirt, trucks, trains, tractors, and super heroes. When my 4 year old was around the age of two, I made him a super hero cape, and every time he puts that cape on something magical happens…..
his fears are gone, he can conquer the world he can save his hot wheel cars from an invasion of angry hungry dinosaurs, or he can take on any hard task that comes his way because magical powers from the cape help him do hard things.
While I know the cape has no magical power, and that he can have the magical power with or without the cape, it causes me to pause as I think about us as adults, how we doubt ourselves, how we shrink away from our fears or problems.If I were to put on a super cape would I be able to face my trails head on? Would having this magical piece of cloth make me have less doubt and fear as I struggle with my own demons? Would a cape have helped me when I started my adoption journey? Would it have helped me tell people about my plans to place? Would it have helped me with my jitters as I prepared to meet the family I had picked for him? Would it have helped me prepare for placement? Would it have helped me after placement when people asked me so many questions?
I find the answer to be simple, I am just like my 4 year old, I have the strength within me to handle anything that can come my way. I have the ability to do hard things, I have the courage to stand up for myself (even if it is against myself). I don’t need a “cape.” I just need to believe in myself and I will find the strength. I didn’t have a cape during my journey through placement, nor do I have one now, but I was able to handle everything that came my way.
We all have doubt and fear and sorrow, but we also have courage and strength to get us through the tough times. We just need to believe in ourselves that we all have super powers and can take on whatever the world throws our way.
–A birth mom