Blood Memory by Susan L.

I had an amazing chat about North American aboriginal beliefs in which the topic of blood memory came up. I understand it is about what we would call genetic predisposition, the "memory" all of us carry. There are gifts such as creativity and musicality passed down through the ages. On the flip side, curses like alcoholism, mental illness and physical things like heart disease are inherited, too. Blood memory is about our roots, our heritage, the inheritances running in our veins. I love my parents very much but as an adopted infant, every once in a while unanswerable questions pop up. Many now are medical especially as I grow older (gasp!). It's simply the age old question all children have, "Where did I come from?" Most of the time I fully embrace my adopted heritage. It is a gift and all I have ever known. I have a long wall covered with photos: great grandparents, grandparents, parents, children and now grandchildren. Sometimes I ask the question because the only blood relative is my son. Why now? Why is this important, this need to connect? To know. Yet, at the same time, the thought of seeking out the woman who gave me life scares the pants off me. I do know there's English, Scottish and French Canadian blood in my veins. I was born at Carleton County, Ottawa on April 18, 1964 and weighed 5 1/2 ounces at birth. Maybe that's enough but nevertheless I surrender this, Lord, to Your will. "Having predestined us to adoption as sons (I am going to take the liberty of including daughters in this quote) by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved." Eph 1:5