#WorldAdoptionDay is celebrated on November 9th. It is a day during which adopted families can celebrate or recognize their history of adoption, share their stories, and, most importantly, call attention to the overall concept. Some families recognize the specific day on which their adoptedfamily became a family once and for all- known as “gotcha day.”Others simply recognize World Adoption Day, and others let it slip their minds. This World Adoption Day on twitter Jenna Fischer, or Pam on NBC’s The Office, tweeted adoringly for adoption, encouraging others to share their stories.

Adoption can be a tricky, triggering subject for some. It can bring back harmful, depressing memories from “before.” It can cause controversy in the realm of “anti-abortionists;” in that some claim putting a child up for adoption is ultimately more harmful than aborting the accidental fetus. It can create an invisible division between families and friends. All in all, though, adoption is a more-than-beautiful thing.

Separate from the aspects such that may include harmed mentalities, defying

tendencies and the potentiality of a child enduring foster care for an amount of their lifetime, adoption is one of the greater opportunities out there, whether for struggling mothers/parents, struggling children, or couples/individuals yearning for the chance to love and care for their own. Adoption provides birthing mothers who are either unable or unwilling to care for a child properly, yet don’t want to endure the even-more scarring effects of abortion, another “scapegoat,” to ensure their child is taken care of. It also provides an honorable way for couples or individuals struggling to have their own child, to have their own child to love, provide and care for. Thirdly, it provides children who may otherwise not have been born or been born into unpreferable conditions with proper care and living standards.

Adoption can be one of two: “open adoption,” or ‘’closed adoption”.An open adoption ultimately allows birth parents and “real” parents to have contact with each other either through a lawyer and court documents, or personally (i.e. in person, letters, email or phone calls). Some open adoptions allow children and birth parents to be in contact as well; and in some cases, allow them to have meetings, formal or informal. An overwhelming majority of families who’ve dealt with open adoptions praise the concept: claiming open adoption has allowed their child to get to know where they’re from, and where they are now. Despite assumptions, very few- if any- have reported children show confusion between who their birth families are versus their “real” families. Open adoption, however, can lead to some discrepancies. Some open adoptions end with the birth parent losing contact without warning; whether it got too hard for them or not, they just stop showing up, sending letters, calling. This leaves children sad and confused; although not reportedly enough to affect their mental health.

A “closed adoption” is essentially the opposite. Families who choose a closed adoption don’t have any contact with the birth family; by lawyer, court case, or in any way. Children who are adopted through closed adoptions don’t meet, know, or hear from their birth parents, unless they take it into their own hands to track and contact them later in their lives (18 years old is the age at which legally, you can track them down.

Personally, I was adopted. Not only that, I was adopted through a closed adoption by the most loving, caring parents who’ve not once failed to provide for me and the rest of our family. My “Gotcha Day” was August 19th of 1997, I was only a couple months old and therefore know and remember nothing from the process. In all honesty, the fact that I was adopted often slips my mind as a whole. In my eyes, adoption made me. The family which adopted me (yes, my “real” family) shaped who I am, what I believe, what I do. I wouldn’t change it for the world; honestly, I’d consider myself one of the lucky ones. I was adopted immediately, without having to endure foster care, straight into a loving and caring family. Being adopted- and knowing about it- is a part of who I am, where I came from and where I am now. I, for one salute those who choose adoption and encourage it to others struggling.

#WorldAdoptionDay gives those of us who have been or have adopted a chance to relish in the love and happiness it brings; a chance to celebrate the family we were not only blessed with but have chosen to love and be a part of. It gives us a chance to not only remember and appreciate our adoptions, but to share our stories and learn the stories of others. It’s a touching, close-to-the-heart celebration, that shows and makes public the sometimes tragic beauty behind adoption

“It’s not where you came from, it’s where you belong.”