If you have not spoken to a birth parent who is searching for their relinquished child, it might surprise you how important the search is to them. Every tiny bit of information that they receive along the way is such a treasure to them. Each dissappointment can be a crushing blow.

As they get closer to finding their child parent, those new discoveries put the broadest smiles on their faces that you have ever seen. If you have any doubts about their love for their children, watching them relate a new piece of information will erase those doubts. Reconnecting with relinquished children is extremely important to many birth parents.

There is such joy and promise in the eyes of a birth parent whose search is coming along nicely and providing great hope for them. One of the unexpected but fun discoveries is when a birth parent finds that their child has followed in their footsteps, career wise or with a passionate hobby. That happens much more often than you might imagine. Seems odd in a way that we are surprised to discover that our children are often much like us.

Musical or artistic talent are often part of one’s genetic make-up. Many relinquished children also share many of the same concerns for others and end up in the same helping professions as their birth parents. It is reassuring for a birth parent to find the similarities.

One of the most dramatic reunions that I know about is that of a young birth mom who recently reunited with her twenty-two year old son. The first time I met Celia, her pretty face was one of the saddest faces that I have ever seen. She was quiet and said little. After finding her son, an astounding transformation took place. "He's alive," she said, as tears softly trickled down her face. She nearly choked with emotion.

Shortly thereafter, she was in touch with his adoptive mom. At 2:00 a.m. that first night they were emailing back and forth with photos and info being exchanged. Celia is fortunate that her son's adoptive mom has been welcoming and supportive of their reunion. That is not always the case.