Everyone has a different story to tell, lesson to teach, and path to take. But strangely enough we all find a way to connect with one another. I for one, have taken into consideration that everyone is unique in their own ways. I find myself pondering on this topic often; what about me makes me different and gives me character? I find that being adopted has given me that edge and the confidence booster that I needed to find who I am, and learn from myself every day.

1. You’ll always have a conversation starter.

It’s always reacted to with a surprised look upon the face of the person you are telling. I am not one to take offense to their reactions, but more likely to observe their reactions and be there to answer any of their questions about it, or just be open to telling them more. I have had multiple friends be surprised by the fact that I am adopted and it leads to having a girl’s night, going deeper into our relationship and building trust with one another. The topic may lead to tears but it always feels good to release the emotions occasionally.

2. Doctors find your situations mind boggling.

Within the medical world, being adopted never helped me growing up. I have always been asked the questions, those dreaded questions in my mind that I can never answer. “Do you have anything in your family that may affect your medical situation,” “Is this in your family’s medical history,” or my favorite is “is this (fill in the blank disease, condition, or cancer) hereditary in your family?” You could imagine that my answers are always “no, I’m adopted” and without hesitation, the doctor shuffle papers and figure out how to not make the situation awkward, which isn’t really awkward to me and my parents.

3. Parents say you’ll always be special.

Family is definitely a top priority, for me especially. Knowing who you can trust, who you can talk to in a time of need, and who will be there for you for any reason or time of day. When I was a child, I remember my mother telling me a story before bed about how they adopted me. The (shortened) story goes as follows: When mama wanted a baby girl, she finally got a call that there was one up for adoption.

Mama and Daddy took Ryan and Corey to the hospital to pick me up and take me home to be their little sister. Corey wasn’t tall enough to see you through the window, so he decided to be a jumping bean and jump up and down to see you. There were so many pretty babies but you were the one we wanted. This became my favorite story, and this story made me feel special and accepted into the family.

4. Everyone becomes family.

Not to be a cliché, but the feeling of being chosen into a family it makes you really understand the truth about having strong family morals to follow. Not once have I felt that my family that I live with was nothing less than my family. I feel over the moon to be with the family that I am, they will always have my heart. They have shaped me into the young woman I am today, and I owe them everything. Thank you, mom, and dad if you are reading this, thank you for making me feel like the only girl in the world because I know I am for you two.

5. Finding another adoptee makes you smile.

With the rare percentage of how many people are adopted, when you meet another person you have an immediate connection with them. You share the experiences that you have had, the details that not everyone would care about your adoption, and even the process. Everything that you usually keep to yourself, is now a story that you share with someone that has experienced the same “genre” of what you have experienced.