Lucky?

Ever since we started the process to bring Pipo here, people have been telling us what a lucky little boy he is. He is so "lucky" we saved him. At first, it threw me a bit, then it was a bit annoying, finally I started to get angry when people said this. Finally, one poor unsuspecting woman caught me at a bad moment, and I came back at her with "Yes, he is very lucky. So lucky to have lost both his parents to Aids by the time he was 6, so lucky to have a life threatening disease. So lucky to be pulled out of everything he has ever known, and dropped in a foreign land with people he has never met. He sure is lucky!" The poor woman sat with her jaw hanging open, and then stuttered a bit before remaining silent. I did end up having a nice conversation with her afterwards, explaining why I had been so frustrated. I may have embarassed her a bit, but I hope that in the end I educated her a bit too.

I do know that most people mean well, but they don't always think about what comes out of their mouths. Last night, at the Inn, I got talking with a couple at the bar. When the woman found out we had an adopted son from Haiti, she said "Oh how wonderful!" I braced myself for the inevitable 'lucky' comment, or even the dreaded 'you are a saint' comment. But I was totally shocked when she said to me "I would say what a lucky little boy he is, but I know that you guys are the lucky ones, aren't you?" I almost fell off my chair, I was so grateful. I realize that with Pipo here, I am much more sensitive to comments from others. But this was a good reminder that I shouldn't walk around with my back up. There are people out there who already 'get it'. And she is right...we are incredibly lucky, and I realize this every single day.