Back in June, I posted an article that was written by a very dear friend, Nathlie Troland and the subject was Disenfranchised Grief. The blog was a three part series and they can be found at http://birthfamily-search.adoptionblogs.com/weblogs/grief-and-disenfranchised-grief-part-1 and http://birthfamily-search.adoptionblogs.com/weblogs/grief-and-disenfranchised-grief-part-2 and finally, http://birthfamily-search.adoptionblogs.com/weblogs/grief-and-disenfranchised-grief-part-3.

I originally met Nathlie 10 years ago when I moved to the area. She was one of the first persons to befriend me at a time that I didn’t know a single soul. That is really true. I knew one person. I actually knew the persons name and had met this other person 1 time 2 or 3 years prior. At any rate, it was through this person that I met Nathlie.

Nathlie was on the board of a state organization and I was invited to join the group and participate on the board if I was interested. Nathlie helped real me in and for several years we volunteered out time together and during that time we became friends and got ot know one another.

Like many of us though, time gets away from us. Nathlie had gotten sick and stepped down off the board of the organization about a year before my term as President had expired. I choose to not run in the following election and choose to continue with some other paths in my life.

Nathlie and I still talked but not on a weekly or monthly basis. We always remembered each other and we would acknowledge different life events that took place. Nathlie attended our wedding three years ago and in fact she altered the brides maid gowns.

Nathlie’s a natural mother. She was found by her daughter several years ago through the agency that handled their adoption. After reunited, Nathlie found a way to happily unite all of her children together. Just like others their reunions had rocky times but they came through and had a wonderful close relationship. Nathlie was able to face the concerns and fears that so many of us can’t or won’t face.