OPINION: New Bedford woman shares perspective on being given up for adoption

27-year old New Bedford resident, Lauren Johnson, was given up for adoption at a very young age. She shares her perspective on life, wondering who her birth parents were, and how it all has affected her growing up.

“It’s taken me a long time to find the right words – although I’m still not sure I’ve been able to do that.

I was born at St. Luke’s Hospital on August 27, 1990 in New Bedford, MA. My life hasn’t been perfect, but it sure has been wonderful. I’ve been so lucky to have had a life that has been filled with laughter and so much love. I can’t even begin to imagine my life any other way, except for the fact that I would have never had this life had my biological mother, Rebecca, not given me up for adoption on August 31, 1990, when I was only four days old.

I grew up in Cohasset MA, currently live in Quincy MA. I’ve spent a lot of time wondering where I came from. Imagining what you are like. Wondering how much a like could we be. I like to believe I’ve had to make a lot of hard choices in my life, but I’ve never had to give up my child. As I get older, more people ask me how I feel about being adopted. I think most people expect me to be angry or sad that my mother gave me up.

I’m not. I am nothing but grateful.

I know if she could have kept me, she would have. She couldn’t, so she had to make the impossible choice to give up her daughter for a better chance at life. Not a day has gone by where I haven’t thought about Rebecca, or my big brother, Heath. I didn’t grow up with them. I have never met either of them, but I am searching. I had contact with Rebecca via letters to the adoption agency for a year after I was born. The adoption agency went bankrupt in 1991 and we lost all contact.

There is nothing I want more in this world than to thank them. Thank them for allowing me the opportunity to have this life I’ve been living. Thank them for their selflessness. My search for them is never going to be over. Not until I can thank them for all they’ve done for me.

Rebecca and Heath – I cannot wait to tell you how much I love you. To tell you how much I’ve always loved you. I just hope I don’t have to wait too much longer. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for loving me so much everyday and giving me this amazing life.

You have no idea what you’ve done for me, and I cannot wait to share my story with you in person. ❤️”