DrMom Posted March 31, 2001 Report Share Posted March 31, 2001 I don't know who wrote this, but I found it several years ago. It touched my heart and I still think it is a wonderful story and I wanted to share it with all of you. Different Trips to the Same Place Deciding to have a baby is like planning a trip to Australia. You've heard it's a wonderful place, you've read many guidebooks and feel certain you're ready to go. Everyone you know has traveled there by plane. They say it can be a turbulent flight with occasional rough landings, but you can look forward to being pampered on the trip. So you go to the airport and ask the ticket agent for a ticket to Australia. All around you, excited people are boarding planes for Australia. It seems there is no seat for you; you'll have to wait for the next flight. Impatient, but anticipating a wonderful trip, you wait--and wait--and wait. Flights to Australia continue to come and go. People say silly things like, "Relax. You'll get on a flight soon." Other people actually get on a plane and then cancel their trip, to which you cry, "It's not fair!" After a long time the ticket agent tells you, "I'm sorry, we're not going to be able to get you on a plane to Australia. Perhaps you should think about going by boat." "By BOAT!" you say. "Going by boat will take a very long time and it costs a great deal of money. I really had my heart set on going by plane." So you go home and think about not going to Australia at all. You wonder if Australia will be as beautiful if you approach it by sea rather than air. But you have long dreamed of this wonderful place, and finally you decide to travel by boat. It is a long trip, many months over many rough seas. No one pampers you. You wonder if you will ever see Australia. Meanwhile, your friends have flown back and forth to Australia two or three more times, marveling about each trip. Then one glorious day, the boat docks in Australia. It is more exquisite than you ever imagined, and the beauty is magnified by your long days at sea. You have made many wonderful friends during your voyage, and you find yourself comparing stories with others who also traveled by sea rather than by air. People continue to fly to Australia as often as they like, but you are able to travel only once, perhaps twice. Some say things like, "Oh, be glad you didn't fly. My flight was horrible; traveling by sea is so easy." You will always wonder what it would have been like to fly to Australia. Still, you know God blessed you with a special appreciation of Australia, and the beauty of Australia is not the way you get there, but in the place itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuvOurTexan Posted April 1, 2001 Report Share Posted April 1, 2001 Thank you very much for sharing that. I don't think I have ever heard a better way to describe what the whole situation of infertility and adoption is like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 12, 2001 Report Share Posted April 12, 2001 Thank you for sharing that story. What a beautiful analogy for building your family and becoming parents through adoption. Angi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CJsProudParents Posted November 5, 2002 Report Share Posted November 5, 2002 Just wanted to say, we love this reading. We don't always remember to click on the other pages of each Forum topic to see what older gems are floating around out there but glad to find this one. Thanks dr.mom! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don&Andrea Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 I just came across this and thought it was beautiful. I wanted to bump it up for our friends still in the boat and those who are considering getting on board! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEnglishes Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 WOW! Thanks for bumping this up Andrea! Ok, right now we feel like we're on a boat somewhere out in the "wild blue yonder" but hoping to arrive at our destination anyday now! This is so true! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.