Out of the Quill Box

Out of the Quill Box
by Cathy Mayes

Cathy was brought up in a ‘comfortable’ home in the 1950s. At the age of seven, suddenly told that she had been adopted as a baby and assured by her mum that the other mother who had given birth to her loved her, but had made the difficult decision that she would be better off being brought up by others. Having been told this at the age of seven Cathy seemed to take it in her stride, as children do, though questions began to rise and recur about her own mother she kept them to herself.

Then, in her early teens, she developed a heart condition and doctors felt information on her genetic background would be of help. Once more health problems came to light as an adult, and Cathy, in an age before such research became so fashionable, and thanks to the internet, so much easier, started on a quest to discover her true roots. The resulting journey, bringing us almost to the present day, resulted in the discovery of a large and vibrant extended family on her birth father’s side, touched upon The Nuremberg Trials. Her father’s travels and work in South America, Africa and South Africa, took her on a journey of discovery to his last home in South Africa and culminated in the bitter-sweet discovery, after years of dead ends, that she might well have passed her late mother unrecognised in the streets of the city where she lived, and where Cathy studied at the university.

Cathy felt that she had to write her story, for herself and her children and to support others who may be teetering on the edge of beginning their own journey of discovery. Also, for foster parents, adoptive parents, professionals, and students who might work with or support children and young people in foster care and who may be hoping for their forever home through adoption.

It is clear that for some people like Cathy, they just need to know where we come from, for others perhaps not. Cathy hopes that her story might help other people to take the next step in their own discoveries. There is always a risk of rejection. There can be a tremendous sense of loss and grief when uncovering the past and there needs to support and help available to cope with those possibilities. There are also many surprises, great happiness, and a very real sense of belonging.