I grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, but my life began in China. That's where I was abandoned at just 3 days old, left on a sidewalk in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. For the longest time, I was told finding my birth family would be impossible.
That part of my life became a closed chapter. But that changed after I had children of my own. Social media has made us all more connected, and suddenly what once felt impossible felt possible.
I realized my story was worth sharing. From a young age, I knew I was adopted. There was never an "a-ha" moment or a sit-down talk.
It was simply something that was openly discussed in my family. I do remember coming across documents stating I was an "officially abandoned child" though. Reading that, it fully sank in that my biological family had actually left me on a sidewalk.
It was probably the first time I felt negative about being adopted. My adoptive mom has never wavered in her belief that my biological family wanted me, but wanted a better life for me more. As a child, that belief cushioned me from my past.
As an adult, I'm less convinced. I think they could have loved me, but it probably looked very different. I was 14 months old when I was adopted from an orphanage.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
