The Anna Jinja Show

Finding Your Way: Adoption, Mindfulness, and Poetry
Unraveling the threads of identity, healing, and self-discovery.

Ever felt lost or disconnected? Join us for a transformative conversation that explores the intersection of adoption, mindfulness, and the power of poetry. In this episode, we delve deep into the experiences of adoptees, the healing practice of mindfulness, and the cathartic nature of creative expression.

Our guests, Beth Backes, a certified mindfulness meditation teacher, and Cathy Lee, an English teacher and occasional poet, share their insights and wisdom on finding peace, purpose, and belonging. Discover how mindfulness can help you navigate the complexities of adoption and foster care, and how poetry can serve as a powerful tool for self-expression and healing.

Don't miss this thought-provoking episode. Tune in now!
Creative Content: Poem by Cathy Lee
Is there grace in the silence?
In the pause between clock ticks,
Or when the second-hand pushes us all forward again,
Is that where grace lies?
Is it in the dancing dust particles
Gleaming in the sunbeam?
Is it in the wordless eyes of the dog
Who looks at your face,
Knowing in ways you cannot know?
Is it in the smell
of fresh-cut grass
And the smell
in the binding
Of dried glue
In an old library book?
Is there grace
in the taste of
Bitter and sweet combined?
Is pure sweetness a lie,
not to be trusted?
Is it in the air pulled deep into our lungs,
The soft whish through the nose,
The lift of the chest,
And then it’s heavy fall back
At the end of our exertion?
Is it in the physical pain
From scabbing our knees on the playground,
From falling off our bikes,
The sore muscles when we’ve pushed to the limit,
that reminds us
we are yet still fully alive?

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On this week's episode of The Anna Jinja Show, we explore the profound idea that adoption isn't confined to legal documents; it's a fundamental aspect of the human experience. Every day, we actively "adopt" the people who become our chosen family, the values that guide us, and the experiences that mold our identities.

This episode beautifully illustrates this concept through the deeply moving story of Jeff Wunderly, an adoptee who recently reconnected with his biological family. Jeff's journey, filled with the quiet undercurrent of longing and the eventual joy of discovery, is a powerful reminder of the enduring human need for connection and belonging.

What makes this episode truly special is the serendipitous pairing of Jeff's narrative with the evocative song "Love is Never Lost" by Athens, Ohio's own talented musician, Dan Canterbury. Dan's lyrics explore the timeless nature of love, suggesting that even when it seems lost or dormant, it remains within us, waiting to be found again.

Host Anna Jinja recognized the powerful parallels between Jeff's experiences and the themes in Dan's song, creating a truly unique and emotionally resonant listening experience. From the moment Jeff shared his story of a mother's heartbreaking goodbye to his eventual reunion decades later, the echoes of "Love is Never Lost" resonate deeply.

Jeff's vulnerability in sharing his lifelong journey of uncertainty and his eventual search for his origins is both courageous and inspiring. His description of finding his birth mother and the immediate connection they shared is a testament to the enduring power of familial bonds. Dan's music provides the perfect emotional backdrop to Jeff's story, highlighting the themes of love, loss, and rediscovery. The lyrics about love evolving and never truly being lost beautifully mirror Jeff's experience of a connection that lay dormant for years, only to resurface with profound impact.

This episode is a powerful reminder that the yearning for belonging, and the enduring nature of love are fundamental to the human experience.

Creative Content: Song

"Love is Never Lost: by Dan Canterbury

Love is never lost
She sees fine, with no blind spot
Love is never lost
Read the story, memorize the plot
It’s all there, everything we got
Familiar comforts, chosen lots
At some point we pause and calculate the cost
With no changes in our pockets and change cannot be bought
But I don’t think we ever know what we are doing
Half of life is giving, half is losing
We take for granted what goes well
Lay claim as truth to what we tell ourselves
Waiting on time to pick a side
And wishing never pulls you up a hill or makes for any kind of good and faithful guide
And wishing never drives you down the road to where you really need to go
Never kisses you goodnight
(Refrain)
Love is never lost
Read the story, memorize the plot
Once she catches, we are caught
The burn and then the glimmer, then the drop
To flicker further back there in the thought
That love is never lost
But I don’t think we ever know what we are doing
Half of life is giving, half is losing
Waiting on wrong to tell us right
And wishing never pulls you up a hill or makes for any kind of good and faithful guide
And wishing never drives you down the road to where you really need to go
Never kisses you goodnight (Refrain)
And I don’t think we ever know what we are doing

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On this week’s episode of The Anna Jinja Show, we’re diving into the powerful themes of advocacy, resilience, and creativity. Host Anna Jinja welcomes the inspiring the Athens CASA / GAL Program team. These passionate advocates are voices of hope for children in foster care, providing support, stability, and a sense of belonging in some of the most challenging moments of their lives.
And we’re thrilled to share a very special musical feature by Adam Remnant, a multi-talented musician, songwriter, and Athens native. His song, “Curse of Canaanville,” touches on themes of family, resilience, and finding light amid hardship. This song is a tribute to the inner strength needed to overcome life’s adversities – something that resonates deeply with the work of the Athens CASA / GAL Program and the experiences of the children they support.
Join us as we hear inspiring stories and reflections from CASA/GAL’s Executive Director Tara Huffman and volunteer coordinators Carly Ferguson and Jess Chadwell, who share the impact of their work and the compassion that fuels it. Plus, we’re excited to introduce a special young guest, Jack, who joins the conversation and has agreed to write an original song for an upcoming episode!
Tune in to this heartfelt conversation filled with stories, music, and an important reminder: even in the toughest of times, there’s hope, community, love, and laughter!
Guest Links: https://www.adamremnant.com/ https://www.athenscasa.org/team
CURSE OF CANAANVILLE
by Adam Remnant
my mother’s old lantern tolls a light
through the darkness of the night
beyond the shadows amongst the weeds
where the light of town recedes
and since you’ve been gone
I have found you in the strangest of places
and you have been witness to my heart’s changes
so I am indebted to you and your many faces
lighting the way in a world that’s fading
men overtook these branches to feed our iron tongues
they carved their initials into the trunks
they carted them off leaving nothing but sawdust
now mother, father won’t stop drinking, he’s calling on his kin
he’s naming names spitting blood and cursing Canaan
yeah even the saved are forsaken
so I’m going back to the garden where the trees are in full bloom
I’m shaking off the ashes of brimstone and doom
I’m gonna pick a thousand apples in a single afternoon
so it seems the world can be a nightmare with heaven intertwined
men lower the canary down into the mine
but they’re raising up a raven seven times the size
and since you’ve been gone
I have found you in the strangest of places
and you have been witness to my heart’s changes
so I am indebted to you and your many faces
lighting the way in a world that’s fading
I’m holding a lantern that tolls a light
but you are nowhere within sight
so I’m returning on my own
to the place I once called home.

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Discover the transformative power of belonging in the latest episode of the Anna Jinja Show! Join host Anna, a transnational adoptee, as she delves into the stories of those navigating the complexities of identity and acceptance.
Anna speaks with Xander Karagosian, a Liberian adoptee and student athlete at Ohio University, who grapples with his sense of self amidst societal expectations.
Tune in for a heartfelt conversation featuring insights from renowned poet Raymond Obstfeld, who has co-authored the acclaimed book "Becoming Kareem" with basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and has also contributed to the beloved series "Veronica Mars."
Together, they explore the significance of mentorship, personal growth, and the power of creative expression. Don't miss this poignant episode that celebrates the many paths to finding home within ourselves!
Creative Content: Poem
I look at the world
BY LANGSTON HUGHES
I look at the world
From awakening eyes in a black face—
And this is what I see:
This fenced-off narrow space
Assigned to me.
I look then at the silly walls
Through dark eyes in a dark face—
And this is what I know:
That all these walls oppression builds
Will have to go!
I look at my own body
With eyes no longer blind—
And I see that my own hands can make
The world that's in my mind.
Then let us hurry, comrades,
The road to find.
Guest Links:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2879922/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
https://www.amazon.com/Books-Raymond-Obstfeld/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ARaymond%2BObstfeld
https://ohiobobcats.com/sports/football/roster/xander-karagosian/4655

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