A few nights ago, Eon fussed in the middle of the night and would not settle down. After trying a cup and a diaper change, I finally just hauled him into bed with us. I rubbed his back and let him lay on me for awhile. He ended up lying between us sideways (why do kids always end up that way?) with his feet basically in my face.
I couldn't sleep. I just laid there thinking how blessed he is to be born in this country, into our family. I couldn't help but think about all the other toddlers who will never be comforted in the middle of the night and who will never know the soft touch of a mother's hand.
I've read before that institutionalized babies don't cry. They learn quickly that it does them no good. There is no one to soothe them or meet their needs. A researcher from Harvard Medical School studying Romanian orphans recently divulged that the institutions were "eerily quiet".
Some of the adoptive moms have mentioned that they had to teach their children how to be comforted. It was a foreign concept to them.
We have to stop thinking that this is someone else's problem, that someone else will meet the need. Because someone isn't. An estimated 147 million orphans do not have anyone to smooth the hair off their foreheads, or rub their backs, or kiss their noses....acts we, as mothers, perform countless times a day.
My friend, Patti, though she is unable to adopt at this time, is working to change that for a few kids. Please visit her blog to join her "Pure Love Giveaway". She has lots of great prizes so you can help an orphan and maybe win something. I should know...I read about it on my iPod Touch that I won in her first giveaway! :)
well said, tara! thanks for that reminder that our children have something those children don't have....the comfort of a mommy in the middle of the night....my heart breaks for them....much love and hugs!
ReplyDeleteYes we are blessed. By the way somehow I ended up reading an old post of your's on well let's just say our little boys and their private parts. It was so informative and I learned a lot. Wysdom has the same issue. Thanks for posting that.
ReplyDeleteYes, well said. And I can relate to the sideways, feet in the ribs sleeper :-) JM loves to have his back rubbed. I can't imagine those children never being loved and touched in a loving way.
ReplyDeletebeautifully written. i can't even describe how it breaks my heart to read that they don't cry because it does them no good.
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