Rabia's commitment to honest devotion applied to parenting: speaking difficult truths about adoption, loss, and identity with compassion rather than denial or harshness.
Rabia was unflinchingly honest about her spiritual journey—her struggles, her longing, her radical choices. She did not soften her truth to make others comfortable. For adoptive parents, this translates into a crucial practice: telling the child the truth about their adoption, origins, and family story in age-appropriate, compassionate ways. Many families avoid this, hoping to protect children from pain. Rabia's wisdom suggests that avoidance causes deeper harm—children sense the silence and internalize shame. Instead, parents can practice tender truthfulness: naming that the child comes from another woman's body and heart, honoring the complexity of that reality, acknowledging losses alongside gains. This might mean discussing why adoption happened, what the child's story includes, and inviting their questions without defensiveness. When children hear truth delivered with tenderness, they learn that their whole story—including hard parts—can belong and be honored within family.
Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.
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