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With the news that a planet has been discovered outside our solar system that could support life in a form we would recognize, in my last post I started thinking about expanding the sphere of my adoption-related thought bubble to take in what could be out of this world.
Say Planet 581c is populated, and just like Earth has problems that result in millions of the young 581c-ians having to be raised in institutions or on whatever passes for streets on that planet?
Now suppose that three arms are standard issue and the average height for a full grown 581c-ian is seventeen inches. Would Earthlings with a lot of love to share, yearning for the pitter-patter of little feet around the house, learn of the dire circumstances for the young on this other world and jump at the chance to welcome such different beings into their families?
I’m guessing there would be a period of time when differences would take the focus, with the three-armed considered freakish and a whole lot of discrimination going on against the height-impared 581c-ians. Getting used to such a radically dissimilar look would be a process that would most likely pass through revulsion and disgust on it’s way to acceptance and admiration, since we humans can be a bit slow on the uptake when it comes to getting beyond the superficial.
Eventually, though, folks on this planet may see the benefits of an additional hand, and entire new industries might be based on a tiny workforce. Humans could learn to love the feeling of that bit extra in a hug and find charm in the perpetually diminutive.
Sure, there would always be some who would wonder how anyone could take in another planet’s extraneous offspring and consider any relationship between an Earth family and a 581c-ian child unnatural. Others might doubt the possible depth of such a relationship, considering any affiliation a poor substitute for bonds between like-for-like humans and disbelieving any claims of love between those from such far-flung roots.
I think, however, that if I’m still around if and when this scenario unfolds, I’ll be foursquare in favor of inter-solar system adoption. In fact, I think I’ll start advocating for it right here, right now.
Families are universal! Put no limits on love.
For more on universal families see Angela’s and Virginia’s blogs from yesterday, any one of hundreds from Mary or Erin or Holly, or any of the other international adoptive parents here on the Adoption.com blogs.
Maybe someday we’ll have an interplanetary blogger, too!
There are days that I feel like I’m living on another planet; I volunteer to be the intergalactic blogger.
L.
Very clever, you manage to poke a little fun at quite a number of hang ups. You did get in unnatural, but not unreal, so we are talking half adoption.
Its odd thought, I would have sworn that my middle son was an alien. He has two arms though, so I guess being normal is just alien to him. John
Wow Sandra, this is uncannily coincidental!!
Just the other day I was thinking about how angry I get when people say Americans should adopt only American children ….etc. etc., and how I feel that every child deserves a family and is equally worthy regardless of the invisible yet inescapable lines which are national boundaries. I then began to think of my belief that there is probably life on other planets – this universe is so big I think it is very arrogant and presumptuous to assume we are the only ones living in it! And just like you, I began to wonder how the possibility of inter-solar-system (as you nicely phrased it!) adoption would be viewed, if such a scenario were to arise…
Undoubtedly, there would be negative critics, but I wonder how the majority of people, and, indeed the inhabitants of the other planet(s) would regard it? I certainly would be very open to considering it, very possibly even partaking in it.
It also occurred to me think that discovery of life elsewhere might make people realise how small our own planet is, how close and alike we all are, which would surely be a great advancement.
By the way, perhaps I’m just scientifically inept, but can anyone explain to me why it’s accepted that there must be water and a certain temperature on other planets, for life to be present? Obviously these factors are essential for life as we know it, but how do we know there aren’t organisms with inbuilt water-converters, or with completely different internal systems to us, or surviving on elements unknown to us…?????
What I want to know is if we would make them sign the Hague and whether they, diminutive though they may be, may be an option for some of our children who are currently in institutions or foster care.
What if they have a whole group of parents ready to build larger houses to adopt kids from Earth? Should we allow our children to have a family on a planet far, far away? Would we be able to see that maybe they could provide a better life for some of OUR children, cultural differences aside?