Read Online Bridge Called Hope by Kim Meeder - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kim Meeder
Ads: Link
crushed beyond recognition when the grandparents realized it was possible that their daughter, Jason’s mom, might eventually be released from jail and want to reclaim him—which would be a complicated, emotional bridge that they did not wish to cross. Almost as suddenly as they entered his life, Jason’s grandparents exited. To say that Jason was distraught might be the same as saying it smarts a little to be run over by a train. Brenda recounted how his sense of rejection and devastation reached a new and overwhelming low.
Because of the constant love that surrounded him, Jason fought like a drowning child, once again, struggling to reach the surface of his own life.
After many weeks, Brenda was contacted by Jason’s case worker. Miraculously, his biological father had now been found. Through a messy tangle of circumstances, Travis had become separated from his son and had been searching for him for many years. He had full understanding that his son would not remember him and that Jason had since been cared for by many men who had stepped into the role of “father.” Travis made it clear that he wished to re-enter his son’s life as gently as possible and hopefully become the family that Jason needed most.
The case worker had arranged a neutral meeting in ten days.
Brenda continued her sad saga by relating how both she and the case worker agreed that they would not put Jason’s heart through another trial of “high hopes” only to have them trampled again. If Jason were to safely meet his biological father, it would be best for his tender heart if his father’s identity was not revealed to him until they were sure that Jason felt comfortable and safe within Travis’s presence.
Initially, Brenda related that the case worker was going to set up the meeting within a bowling alley because it was a fun and open, kid-friendly place. But Bren, knowing the true depth of Jason’s loss and continued suffering, understood that this environment was too noisy and too public if Jason needed a safe retreat. She intuitively knew that Jason required a place to go where meeting a stranger wouldn’t be so strange. “Kim … can we set up the meeting at the ranch?” was her true reason for calling.
I was grateful that the appointed day for Jason to meet his real father fell on an afternoon when the ranch was closed. Coming over on her day off, Sandy, who was part of the ranch staff, volunteered to help me with this very tenuous encounter. She offered to bring out an extra horse so that Brenda’s olderkids could also ride in the arena, and this might make the day feel more “natural.”
Before Brenda and her family arrived, a strange car pulled into the ranch’s main yard. From it exited a very nervous young man and his mother. I introduced myself to Travis, Jason’s father, and to his grandmother, and tried to make them feel as comfortable as possible. I knew that they both lived in Idaho and neither had seen Jason in approximately five years. Together they had driven a great distance and must surely be exhausted … both physically and emotionally. In an effort to relieve their understandable anxiety, I invited them both to join me across the driveway to meet some of our baby horses. As we scratched the young horses, many silent prayers rose for the outcome of this extremely fragile day. It was very apparent that not only was a child’s heart in peril of being destroyed … but his father’s heart as well.
The case worker soon arrived, and not long afterward Brenda’s van also pulled into the yard. To help camouflage and “normalize” the meeting, Brenda wisely decided to bring four of her older kids along with Jason. Not wishing to set him up for a heart break, Brenda shared only that there would be a few “others” at the ranch as well. Immediately, with the acute sensitivity that only a foster child can have, his apprehension began to rise with the very real awareness that he might be abandoned with
Because of the constant love that surrounded him, Jason fought like a drowning child, once again, struggling to reach the surface of his own life.
After many weeks, Brenda was contacted by Jason’s case worker. Miraculously, his biological father had now been found. Through a messy tangle of circumstances, Travis had become separated from his son and had been searching for him for many years. He had full understanding that his son would not remember him and that Jason had since been cared for by many men who had stepped into the role of “father.” Travis made it clear that he wished to re-enter his son’s life as gently as possible and hopefully become the family that Jason needed most.
The case worker had arranged a neutral meeting in ten days.
Brenda continued her sad saga by relating how both she and the case worker agreed that they would not put Jason’s heart through another trial of “high hopes” only to have them trampled again. If Jason were to safely meet his biological father, it would be best for his tender heart if his father’s identity was not revealed to him until they were sure that Jason felt comfortable and safe within Travis’s presence.
Initially, Brenda related that the case worker was going to set up the meeting within a bowling alley because it was a fun and open, kid-friendly place. But Bren, knowing the true depth of Jason’s loss and continued suffering, understood that this environment was too noisy and too public if Jason needed a safe retreat. She intuitively knew that Jason required a place to go where meeting a stranger wouldn’t be so strange. “Kim … can we set up the meeting at the ranch?” was her true reason for calling.
I was grateful that the appointed day for Jason to meet his real father fell on an afternoon when the ranch was closed. Coming over on her day off, Sandy, who was part of the ranch staff, volunteered to help me with this very tenuous encounter. She offered to bring out an extra horse so that Brenda’s olderkids could also ride in the arena, and this might make the day feel more “natural.”
Before Brenda and her family arrived, a strange car pulled into the ranch’s main yard. From it exited a very nervous young man and his mother. I introduced myself to Travis, Jason’s father, and to his grandmother, and tried to make them feel as comfortable as possible. I knew that they both lived in Idaho and neither had seen Jason in approximately five years. Together they had driven a great distance and must surely be exhausted … both physically and emotionally. In an effort to relieve their understandable anxiety, I invited them both to join me across the driveway to meet some of our baby horses. As we scratched the young horses, many silent prayers rose for the outcome of this extremely fragile day. It was very apparent that not only was a child’s heart in peril of being destroyed … but his father’s heart as well.
The case worker soon arrived, and not long afterward Brenda’s van also pulled into the yard. To help camouflage and “normalize” the meeting, Brenda wisely decided to bring four of her older kids along with Jason. Not wishing to set him up for a heart break, Brenda shared only that there would be a few “others” at the ranch as well. Immediately, with the acute sensitivity that only a foster child can have, his apprehension began to rise with the very real awareness that he might be abandoned with
Similar Books
