I Saw My Mother

It was in the bathroom of a church in Wilmington. I looked in the mirror. I saw my mother.

Well, of course, I am her daughter. It's natural that I would look like her. And yet, I used to wonder how I fit into the family.

David looks just like dad. I'm told I look just like David, but I think its just the red hair. If I did look just like David I would look just like dad, and I don't.

Some people say I look just like my mom, some people say I don't look like my mom. Our senior portraits from high school are very different and I thought I didn't look like my mom.

The rest of my family was very athletic. They all played catcher in baseball or softball sometime during their life. I was the kid who was just good enough not to strike out at kickball, but nobody's first pick for the team unless my best friend was captain.

Sophomore year I had the opportunity to fill in for an intramural game. I played catcher. True, most of the balls rolled past me and were picked up by the umpire, but I played catcher. I was excited.

My mom and grandma often call me by my aunt's name and it appears I picked up a lot from her. It appears I picked stuff up from my uncle on my dad's side. It doesn't appear I picked up as much from my own parents.

Sometimes I just feel like someone in my family. It might be a way I move my hands or how I feel when I'm speaking, but I will think how it is something David or mom would do. I feel how I think another family member sometimes looks. If that makes no sense, you're probably normal.

Yes, when I looked in the mirror that March day in Wilmington and saw my mother's face, I was happy.

Turns out I might not be adopted after all.