More sharing

It was another of sharing, fevers, and tenderness. Marie France, Gabriela's biological Mama, called this morning to say that she was coming up for a visit. When she arrived we went to a hotel pool also with a neighbour family and Gabriela's friend Tad who is also 5. At the pool, i needed to know who was watching Tad since he is adventurous and has little experience at the pool. Luckily everyone was watching him! After a relaxing afternoon, we went up to see the memorial garden that the hotel had created in memorandum of those who died in the January 12th earthquake. Everyday (since we've arrived) I hear Haitians talk about the earthquake. They mention it without explanation. None is needed. The earthquake was not like a robbery in one neighbourhood, it was a national catastrophe. It was an international emergency. People share memories of the earthquake and after...like remember that? That was crazy...we're just lucky to be alive.
I remember just a day or two after the earthquake, I called a friend to ask her about adoption. I had heard that, under post-earthquake conditions, if we had already completed a Haitian adoption, we could complete another adoption overnight. That was the same day that UNICEF shut down all adoptions. When the other day, I mentioned to Jonna, the woman who used to hold Niko while I taught yoga classes, that I want to adopt again, she offered me her little son. Okay, I said, in my mind! "No, he needs you", I said out loud. This kind of selfless generosity which here extends from food to clothes to shoes etc. is too crazy for me. I need to know which shoes and which kids are MINE. I need to know who I'm responsible for and who will call me when I'm old and need the phone to ring. I need to know how many times you've shared with me so I can share with you that same amount and if I donate to your organization, will I get tax receipt? I need you to tell me that you can't live without my help like I can't live without yours. I need someone to tell me why I can't give up my favorite shirt but you can offer me your child!?? This kind of lacidazical attitude around what belongs to who, is ludicrous, not to mention enviable. Once I took Gabriela to a department store with tall shelves aisle after aisle. When it was time to leave, she couldn't. She just stood there and cried saying "I can't help it, I just want everything!"