It certainly has been a while since my last post as I have been keeping myself busy. Between preparing this taxes for 2016, Studying for a new certification and just going to work each day I have had little time to even think about writing and I do miss it.
My mom and myself have created a habit of calling each other each Saturday morning as we live 3000 miles away. Usually our conversation are about what has been going on in our lives over the past week. For me it’s usually around events with grandchildren and the latest topics in the world. For Mom it’s usually about birthday, holidays and reminiscing about things when I was young. She is a big NY Giants fan and loves talking about the football game.
Today we spoke and she told me that I have an older brother who I never knew about. This certainly changed our patterns of conversation and I had so many questions. My brother was born two years before me while my Mom was just a teenager. When she became pregnant she was sent away to a home to live and have the baby and where this service also found folks to adopt the baby. Pretty much my Grandfather would not allow my Mom back into his house until the baby was born.
For all of these years she thought about the baby and always wondered what had become of him. Thanks to modern technology, computers and social media my brother was able to find her. They spoke on the phone and are meeting next Saturday.
So as I sit here and write about this I am trying to put together my own thoughts about having an older brother. My brother’s Dad is not my Dad. This was something I wanted to know, but it really doesn’t matter much. Does he look at all like me? Does he have any of my same mannerisms?
What is funny is that as Mom broke the news to me my first reaction was that of joy. I have his email address but will wait a day before contacting him as I need to completely get my mind wrapped around this. My heart is already there and I want to contact him right now. But I really need think about the fact that I am actually shocked that I have an older brother. At 55 I didn’t think anything in the world could shock me anymore, but here I am pondering thoughts of so many questions I want to ask.
Simple Living Over 50 
Wow! That is incredible! Keep us posted in how things go 🙂
Wow glad to know that you took it very positively and you never judged your mother, on the contrary you are eager to meet him and hope he too is anxious to meet you.
At this age you must be happy to have a big brother, who if bonded well will be able to look on you, if ever you need.
Yes, it’s pretty awesome!
I know exactly how you’re feeling. The same thing happened to me, only I was a few years younger than we are right now when I got the news. I already knew my mom had had a baby and gave it up for adoption, so I figured I would never see or meet her. Then my half-sister looked her up, there was a meeting with all of them and my mom, but I guess I wasn’t included or couldn’t afford to make the trip, can’t remember the details… anyway, we talk on Facebook a little, I see her pictures so I know we favor each other. But unless you engage, you won’t ever know him. I don’t know why, maybe because she lives so far away, but I never really felt like she wanted to get to know me, so I never really tried to engage her. I hope your relationship with your newfound brother turns out better. Like vishal4u said, I’m glad you took the news so well, I just wonder why your mom never told you about it until now. Just curious I guess. Good luck and God bless!
Thanks Kim 🙂
That is wonderful. I sincerely hope and pray that all goes well. You can never have too many brothers! (I have 7!) do you have other siblings?
I got a brother and sister.
I don’t think this is so unusual; my mother-in-law had a similar experience. Thank goodness our society is more accepting of unwed mothers nowadays. You are entering with an open heart, it’s bound to enrich your life.
I believe it will be pretty life changing.
I love your post and that you are so accepting of this surprise visit from the stork!😀
LOL. The stork delivered this one 57 years later, but better late than never. 🙂
Exactly my thoughts, better late than never, lol. Please share how your interaction goes!
I certainly will 🙂
Bill,
My heart is full to overflowing, having just read your post. First of all, I felt such joy for you that you can talk to your mother every weekend. My mom’s been gone for many years now, but I think of her each day. So, I felt a wave of happiness come over me — for you.
As I continued to read your post and you revealed the news about your brother, my eyes welled up. I couldn’t believe that I had these feelings when I only “know” you from reading your blog! I guess it’s human experience that is common to all of us. I lost my brother in April — a very special man, and it’s January and yours has been found. Incredible. Your mom must be a very special woman, Bill. It took a great deal of courage for her to give you the “news.”
I wish your family only good things for the future and will keep you in my prayers. Isn’t life amazing? Strange, but amazing — full of surprises!
It is amazing Kat, my Mom read the introductory email that Eric sent her and it too was so filled with love that it brought tears to my eyes also.
Hi Sir, hope all goes well. I think as a mother, it must be very hard for her inside to lost a baby and didn’t know almost anything of her baby (that she also might think the baby should be her responsibility) for many many years. So much emotion, and so relieving. it would be great news for your mother, you & your “new” brother. Warm regards.
Yes, I believe it’s an incredible relief for her to know.
What great news! Will be looking forward to updates as the relationship unfolds. My father told me shortly before he died that he never knew who his father was. He said that left a “hole in his heart”. I am still trying to solve that mystery. Good for you to have an open heart and chance to connect!
🙂 🙂 🙂
Wow…Sounds like an amazing thing to happen for you. I wish you the best when you do reach out to him. Just be careful.
Wow, that is news! Keep and open heart and who knows where this adventure will lead you.
One never knows
Wow. Congratulations. This a beautiful story that is full of love and acceptance. You have a lovely blog here and I’m glad your interest in my blog brought me here. I look forward to following.
I look forward to reading your thought and words as well. 🙂
Thank you.
To have to live without her baby and with the shame imposed on her by her family (as was typical of those times) is a secret she has had to bear alone for way too long. I hope meeting your long lost brother works out well for you, your mother, and for him.
How wonderful….I wish you great happiness with your new sibling….what a surprise..!!! kat
How exciting. Remember Billy, if he tries to boss you about, the words to use are, “You’re not the boss of me!”
LOL! I will have to remember that. He is a wonderful human being.