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This podcast, called Connected Roots & Roots, explores universal themes such as love, attachment, parenting, identity, and belonging. It aims to bring clarity and deep conversations to the adoption journey and beyond. The host shares personal reflections, stories, lessons, and insights on adoption, unpacking scenes of identity, belonging, and self-worth. The podcast encourages connection, knowledge, and empowerment in shaping our own narratives. It also highlights the challenges and sacrifices that go into building and growing a family, particularly through adoption. The host's mother faced infertility struggles for over 20 years before deciding to adopt in her 40s. Despite skepticism and lack of support, she remained determined and eventually found a way to fulfill her dream of motherhood. Hi, this is Dunya, and welcome to the very first episode of Connected Roots & Roots. My journey starts with adoption, but I have come to realize that the questions it raises and the themes it touches are as universal as they are personal. Love and attachment, parenting, motherhood, identity, self-esteem, belonging, resilience, and so much more. In this podcast, I will step back to take in the broader context, bringing clarity to the adoption journey and beyond, because it's not just for adoptees and parents, but for anyone curious about the forces that shape who we are. This podcast is not about the obvious, it's not about outdated beliefs, and it's not a place for oversimplified advice, where topics that require deep conversations and reflection are reduced to feel-good slogans or self-help cliches. This podcast is about connection. Connecting to who we truly are, beyond the labels, expectations, or narratives placed on us. Connecting to the world around us by unpacking the invisible threads that shape us, and connecting to each other, through stories, reflection, and the courage to speak our truth. Because I can still remember the feeling of hearing brave and filtered stories when I was trying to make sense of my own, each perspective left its mark, helping me make sense of my predicaments. Have you ever heard someone articulate a feeling you have carried for so long, but couldn't put into words? Suddenly, you feel seen. That deep breath of relief when you realize, I'm not alone. Hearing others speak openly about their struggles has the power to connect us, to help us process what feels complex or isolating, and I think of it as an x-ray to our souls. This podcast is also about clarity, clarity that we find through knowledge, and this podcast is also about clarity, clarity that we find through knowledge, when we get curious, looking for knowledge that is impassionate, objective, and evidence-based, when we dig deep into what makes us human through the lens of psychology, sociology, and human rights, clarity in who we are, in where we stand, and in how we move forward. And ultimately, it's about feeling empowered, empowered in shaping our narratives because we are the authors of our lives. By making sense of our predicaments, getting rid of shame, challenging limiting beliefs, and pushing against stigma, we can reshape our stories in ways that truly empower us. So what can you expect? In the upcoming episodes, I will share my reflections, stories, lessons, and insights I've gathered along the way. In the upcoming episodes, I will share my reflections, stories, lessons, and insights I have... In the upcoming episodes, I will share my reflections, stories, lessons, and insights I have gathered along the way. I will dive into adoption as a lifespan and packing scenes of identity, belonging, and self-worth, sometimes zooming in on my personal experiences, sometimes zooming out, understanding the bigger picture. And as this podcast evolves, and with your support, Connected Roots and Moods will continue to grow into a space for broader conversations, welcoming new voices, new perspectives, and deep discussions with guests who bring their own stories and others that expert knowledge. My hope is to build a space that's safe to connect, learn, and grow. But first, let me start by telling you a little bit about myself. And I can't think of a better way than telling you the story... And I can't think of a better way than telling you the story behind my name. Or in other words, my adoption story. It's a story of love, courage, and hope. And it's also a love letter to my mother. My mother's journey to motherhood wasn't straightforward. And you know, there is so much that goes into building and growing a family, sacrifices and challenges that we don't often see from the outside, and that's because we don't share enough our struggles. We don't share enough our struggles. And for my mother... Okay, let me do that again. And I can't think of a better way than telling you the story behind my name. Or in other words, my adoption story. It's a story of love, courage, and hope. And it's also a love letter to my mother. My mother's journey to motherhood wasn't straightforward. And you know, there is so much that goes into building and growing a family, sacrifices and challenges that we don't often see from the outside, and that's because we don't share enough our struggles. And for my mother, the path to building a family was marked by painful challenges with infertility. She had many difficulties getting pregnant after trying. She had many difficulties getting pregnant after trying for over 20 years. She was sad and heartbroken throughout this time. And my heart goes to any woman listening who is going through this right now and can relate to this part. So in her 40s, she remained... So my mother in her 40s, she remarried. And with her new husband, she decided to give adoption a try. But of course, it wasn't easy either. She didn't get the support of her husband because he already had children from a previous marriage and wasn't keen on the idea of raising another child in his 60s. So yeah. So yeah, he was 60 years old. And he couldn't imagine waking up in the middle of the night to comfort a crying baby. And now that I'm a parent myself, I get it. Parenting is no joke. It's the hardest job in the world. Sure, it's the most fulfilling and rewarding, but exhausting. And no amount of coffee prepares you for those sleepless nights. So on top of an unenthusiastic husband, she didn't get the support of other people around her either that were somehow skeptical about the outcome of adoption. But my mother is a determined woman. When she decides on something, there is nothing stopping her. Believe me, I've tried. She has this innate ability to care, to love, to nurture. So when she knew she was playing her last card to motherhood, even through adoption, because she was about to turn 50 years old, nothing slowed her down. Every morning, for many, many months, she visited the local infant care home, a facility that provides temporary care for babies and very young children who cannot stay with their Okay, I want to do this part again, but...