When I first brought my adopted daughter home to meet her brothers eleven years ago, I thought how incredibly lucky I was and that my life was complete. I had spent years searching for a daughter via medical methods and finally adoption. She was my dream come true after four years of prayers and emotional turmoil. She still is my dream come true and she has now indirectly contributed to my realizing another dream.
Many stay-at-home mothers, like me, may feel occupationally inadequate or intellectually uninspired after leaving their careers to raise a family. I left my career in software sales twenty years ago after my first son was born. Since then, I have been working in my children’s schools (field trips, library duty, reading assistance, fundraising, etc.), as well as sitting on committees and boards of non-profit agencies trying to help others in need. It has been very rewarding activity, but over the last six years, my authoring passion has also been at work and recently, I have been shocked and delighted by the results.
Earlier this year, I published my memoir, ‘March into My Heart,’ about my daughter’s adoption story and the reaction among family and friends who read it has been extremely gratifying. I began writing a journal to help answer questions my daughter might someday ask about our journey to find her. As I began writing, it took on new meaning. Hoping to help other families reach their dreams of a child, the journal became an honest, detailed account of my reasons for and our efforts to adopt our daughter. Now, my memoir is available to all readers and as expected, the first reactions came from those closest to me.
Publishing a truly personal story is admittedly frightening, especially when some in my family are feeling exposed to the world because of the book. Those who have read it so far have been incredibly positive and genuine with their reviews and accolades for “laying it out there”. Some have referred to me as a community role-model and others as a rock star. If I had given in to myfamily’s concerns and not published the book, I would never have experienced the true admiration and joy my friends provided me after reading it. The approval of my friends wasn’t my goal in publishing my memoir.
My principal goal is to help others find happiness through adoption and hopefully reading my story will give them the courage to move forward.
– Patty Lazarus
I may never know the effect my book had on people around the country, and the world, who are in the position I was in before finding my daughter. Hearing the warm sentiments from my friends, a few of whom read it in one sitting because they “couldn’t put it down”, is truly a dream come true. I wanted my story to be interesting, candid, engaging, and if possible a little entertaining. I wanted my friends to read it because they wanted to, not because they felt like they had to. I now know, after only a short time on the bookshelves, that it is all those things.
Without a doubt, my confidence as a writer has been boosted. My admiration for my friends, who have been cheering me on ever since they first learned about my book, has skyrocketed. My gratitude to my family for giving me the time, support and latitude to publish this book is immense. But mostly, I thank all of my blog readers and followers who have, over the last year, given me the courage to speak from the heart, listen to others more openly, and hopefully provide a path for others to find their own dream.
Click to purchase Patty's book: March Into My Heart ; A Memoir of Mothers, Daughters, and Adoption
About the Author
