nature, nurture

We took a hike last week, one that was recommended by a few people.  It's nearby, in sierra madre and it's short, only 2 miles and it ends in a waterfall, sounded perfect.  But it was packed!  And the pathways were pristine, more like sidewalks than paths.  And with all of the people(it was a beautiful day, 80 and sunny) it felt like the times square of nature hikes.  We still had fun, Sally and Holly leading the way, and at the end there was ... pinkberry.  When we were eating our pinkberry, Sally, Tony and I(Maggie is a teenager and opted out of the hike)Sally suddenly said out of the blue, "I miss my other mother."  She's referring to her birthmother in China, who we have spoken about but not a lot.  It's the second time she's said something like that, the other time was in Park City over Christmas.  She and I were sharing a bed and we had a whole early morning routine, we'd wake up before Tony and Maggie, get dressed and go to the mountain early and have eggs and bacon before ski school.  Anyway, one morning we were lying there and she said she missed her Chinese mother and could she please call her.  I explained that we couldn't because we don't have her number, we don't know where she lives.  I said we could look for her one day.  I explained it all in very simple language.  It made me feel sad in a way, because I know that trying to make sense of her origins and the way she came into our family will be a lifelong struggle for Sally.  But it also made me aware of just how amazing Sally is.  She's strong and good hearted and emotional and full of love.