ADoPTaTION

It is one of those thoughts that would naturally enter my mind whenever 'sponsor a child' comes up, which is quite often where I tread in Sydney.

Mom recently went to see the dentist in the building where we grew up, which is also the gossip hub for not-so-discrete reasons. They told my mom that my childhood playmate's baby sister, currently 16 y.o., has recently given birth to a baby girl. Baby's dad ditched the teenage girl.

It is a sad fact. I pity the girl and I have to say I have no clue as to how the family treated the issue. They were never conventional to begin with so maybe for all we know, everyone's just cool about it. Being 'cool about it' just ain't a popular mindset where we are.

There was the urge to go visit but then there is a tinge of hesitance as my childhood friend and I have gone our separate ways about 15 years ago, not to mention that from the looks of things, we do not pave along the similar roads, and chances are, we might belong to entirely different societal tribes.

I am pro-adoption, however. I believe in reaching out to kids, perhaps along the Nicole Richie - Lionel Richie line. It will be good for my parents, too should they employ such tactic as my brother will be heading overseas soon and then there will just be mom and dad left with the maid (who'd have less things to do - as if she had a lot to do to begin with).

I know for a fact that my mom would be keen on a baby girl. I once asked her why she wants to adopt and she commented on how she only has two kids. After all, she had 8 sisters and 4 brothers. If all pregnancies go well, she would probably have about seven other siblings, for all I know.

On the one hand I am glad I only have one younger sibling. If I were the second child, I probably would not mind having a few more little siblings. Being the eldest is just going to be such a burden should I be deemed responsible over the actions and mis-actions of those younger than me. Believe me, I used to complain heaps about that and I only have one younger brother! Maybe God knows I would not be able to cope with many young kiddies.

This time, I reckon if my parents did take a kid in, she'll be like the eldest, in a way, as me and my bro will be MIA for who knows how long. If ever we come home, they would be breezy visits where we would probably be spoiling the kid. All that in tow, maybe she will be spoiled rotten.

Or maybe my mom would shower all her time on her that she would turn out exactly how mom wanted her daughter to turn out. Perhaps more like her, less like me. Not that I am sorry I turned out this way.

However I am, at this point in time, is pretty much influenced by a lot of little choices I had consciously made, intending to reach certain mini goals. Not exactly mom's ideal, but I was afterall on a quest to find my individuality.

On the other hand, the whole adopt-a-baby-girl project seems more like an expermiment of sorts. Perhaps it would lead to a better understanding of my psyche and that of my family. Something I have long been curious about and was tapped on as I started to dig my paws into some General Psychology. No regrets, no reproaches, just pure analysis and that mirror-in-front-of-me type of exercise. No dissonance there so far.

I am afterall passionate about a lot of the things involved.