By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director gallagher@paprolife.org

When I was a little girl, I learned that my mother’s favorite cousin, Valeria, had been adopted into the family. She was an individual with many gifts, including a talent for ballet and art. My father’s wish was that someday Valeria would paint a portrait of my mother that we could hang with pride in our living room.

Valeria lived far away, in the western part of the United States, so my mother was unable to see her. But a phone call from Valeria was a major event in our home and brought tremendous joy to my mother’s heart.

When Valeria passed away, she left my sister and me stacks and stacks of savings bonds. Apparently she had been buying them for us over the years, but never told my mother. The bequest came at a time when our family was in severe financial straits, so I was exceedingly grateful to the ballerina benefactor that I had never actually met.

Research indicates that, when a woman is distressed by an unexpected pregnancy, she views adoption as the worst option–worse than abortion. While we should do all we can to support women who wish to parent their children, for those who believe they are unable to parent at this time, we must share with them the beauty of adoption.

We need to share our adoption stories. They can save lives, and help form families made and sustained by the heart.