Day 21: A Sacred Drama

A packed suitcase. I didn't expect this to be one of the most significant images of the day, but it was. Tonight we ate dinner at my parents' house, and that's where I saw it. We were playing an innocent game of hide-and-seek when I stumbled upon the packed suitcase. I don't know exactly why it struck me so; this wasn't a surprise after all; I knew my mom was going away. But tonight it became real--tomorrow she's flying to the Philippines.

Several weeks ago, we flew out of the Philippines with Rex. As we ascended into the smooth sky, I had two very different emotions. I was overjoyed that we had done it, finally. We were bringing home our new son! But on the other hand, I felt sad. Rex was leaving his birth country, and we didn't know when he'd be back. The Philippines would have to get on without him. Of course he had no idea this drama was unfolding around him, but it was.

The fact that my mom had a suitcase that she would open in the Philippines, on sacred soil, is what moved me. It's sacred because that's where our son is from. It's part of his story, part of his memory, part of him. I hope she'll bring back some dirt. She's going to help typhoon victims and lead a workshop at a conference. It's wonderful that shes's going, but at the same time doesn't seem fair. Why does she get to go and not Rex, a boy gone from his homeland? Ah, the sacred drama of a packed suitcase.