Wow! A fantastic piece - and I'm so sorry for all the struggles you've endured. I am also an adoptee, and although it was when I was a baby, I can relate to so much of what you said. And that Mother Wound thing - I was taken from my birth mother, who was 15 and wanted to keep me, then was in foster care for a while before being adopted at approx 5-6 months old (my parents never could remember how old I was, it mattered that much...) - so I bonded with my birth mother, and at least one foster mother (don't know how many), then was adopted by a woman who didn't like me from the day I entered their home.

It was definitely not a happy journey growing up - understated - abuse etc. as you have mentioned, too.

Thank you for offering the other side of our story as adoptees. I hope it reaches those who need to see it!