Deep Thoughts

(well, no not really that deep, but they are my thoughts after all... )

I really did enjoy "Scandal at Scourie" yesterday...perhaps because of its disney-esque qaulities. I appreciated that they tackled some difficult issues while still managing to make it a positive, happy film. Probably not very realistic, but still, I agree with Christina, I like happy endings!

Ever since I was a small child, I have liked movies about orphans and adoption. Of course, as a child I never thought about the more complex issues of adoption- I was able to immerse myself in those stories without giving any thought to "reality"- Goodness knows, I watched Annie enough times that I went through two VHS tapes of the film! Over the years, I have watched many other orphan/adoption movies: Boystown running a close second to Annie as a personal favorite. And I musn't forget Pollyana, a wonderful Haley Mills Disney film (although Parent Trap is my all time favorite). The Apple Dumpling Gang was another favorite, as was Six Pack - a movie where Kenny Rogers adopts a "crew" of orphans. Bing Crosby did a film "Little Boy Lost" that also had an orphan theme to it- not recognized as one of his better films, but still one that I watch when I come across it on television.

Literature, also, is rich with orphan and adoption themes (I think you are right E., often times stories tackle difficult societal issues by using sympathetic and endearing characters such as orphans that the viewer/reader identifies with and cheers on): Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Anne of Green Gables, Pippi Longstocking, Paddington Bear, Wizard of Oz, and currently the most popular orphan of all: Harry Potter.

All of these films and books are great stories that I loved as a child and continue to love as an adult. I look at adoption through "different eyes" now, but I am glad (should I be ashamed? I dunno) that I am still able to enjoy these stories. I am glad that these fictional children and fictional parents were able to come together and form a family so easily....it made me, as a child, believe that adoption was a great thing and even made me somewhat envious of these children who found the 'perfect families" (I doubt I was the only little girl who desperately wanted to be Annie!)

And I am glad now, that these films and books are still around and still available to me to enjoy. I know that "real life" is much more "hard Knock" than these stories share (well, save for the Dickens novels, talk about dreary living-but they did wrap up nicely in the end), and I am fully aware that our own adoption journey is not being scripted by Disney.

I spend a lot of time on yahoo adoption groups and I agree that debates about ethical adoption, corruption, lost referrals, closed countries, attachment disorders, developmental problems/autism, agencies from hell and racism are all important to address and I do not hide from these issues.......

Yet sometimes I need the escape that stories such as these provide: a reminder of what drew me to adoption in the first place, a good dose of optimism and license to dream of a perfect adoption story- overall a good contrast to the more complex, difficult, and sometimes heartbreaking elements of adoption in the "real world."

Hell yeah, its a hard knock life, but thank goodness we at least have a song we can sing about it! And I still love and admire the optimism of any one who can sing (without sarcasm) the Annie song "Tomorrow"

Anyone else have a favorite adoption movie? Or hates them and wants to kick me in the you-know-what for being such a goof ball? Anyone else want to admit that they wanted to be Annie? Or.....are there a few dark souls out there that secretly wanted to be the "Bad Seed?" - Kidding!!

I promise to be more serious and realistic in my next blog.....