Finding My Birth Mother

 

Last spring, while on lockdown, I found my birth mother.  It was so ironic to finally find her at a time when Covid19 was keeping us confined.  Adopted as an infant, I had been searching for my birth mother for most of my life.  I always felt her impalpable presence and in crowds I searched for her, wondering if we looked alike, or if she too was musical.

In the 2007 movie August Rush, the main character Evan is searching for his birth family and feels them in the music of the cosmos.  As the movie begins he says,“ Listen. Can you hear it? The music. I can hear it everywhere, in the wind… in the air… in the light. It’s all around us. All you have to do is open yourself up. All you have to do… is listen.”  Evan’s ability to listen to this heart song, and use his musical talents eventually reunite him with his parents.

My daughter Emma took a 23AndMe DNA test at Christmas 2019 and received close relatives matches.  After my DNA was added to the system, I began to sleuth on the weekends until I could find contact information to connect with my birth mother. The day Lu’s email with the subject heading “Hello from Minnesota” arrived in my inbox was so extraordinary.

On meeting Lu, it felt like meeting someone I had known all my life. Our creativity and musical talent connect us.  After getting to know Lu better and hearing my birth story, it felt like a puzzle piece inside me had been snapped into place.  Lu sings my song and now I feel complete.

This past year we have been getting to know each other further.  Even though the pandemic has not allowed us to meet in person, Zoom enabled Lu to attend a book launch poetry reading I was a part of, and we attended a Winter Women’s Retreat her church was having in northern Minnesota.  Lu has also shared wonderful YouTube videos of her solo and church choir performances.  Besides having a beautiful singing voice, she can play several instruments, has directed children’s choirs, and written hymn lyrics. 

Besides music we enjoy talking about current events, crafting, cooking, spirituality, and genealogy.   For example, she recently told me about my great-great-grandfather who also was a composer and who taught the violin!  Emma joins us in conversations and both of us look forward to deepening our relationship with Lu.  Mother’s Day is that much sweeter now that I can celebrate my adoptive mother and my birth mother!

 

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8 thoughts on “Finding My Birth Mother”

  1. Crystal Frommert says:

    Thank you for sharing this story Tara, I am so happy for you and your family. The connection through music is so beautiful.

    1. Thank you for your kind words Crystal!

  2. Donna Friesen says:

    This is so very heart warming Tara—so happy for you! And isn’t it amazing she is so musical. The longing she planted in your heart.
    Lovely

    1. Hello Donna – yes this is truly a miracle!

  3. Janet says:

    Such a beautiful heart warming story. I’m so happy for you and Emma.

    1. Yes, Emma and I are blessed to have Lu in our lives!

  4. Cathy Flannery says:

    How absolutely beautiful! I know you now feel complete! I saw the movie August Rush a good number of years ago and loved it. So happy it helped you!! God bless?

    1. Thanks Cathy! I know you understand the power that music can have in connecting people.