The Anna Jinja Show
The Anna Jinja show focuses on the stories, issues, and questions connected to adoption and foster care experiences.
The host is an international adoptee with biological roots in Korea and adopted roots in the United States. As you can imagine, her journey and experiences as a transracial adoptee are multifaceted. Her experiences have been with the pain of discrimination and rejection as well as the joys of self-discovery and learning to embrace all aspects of her identity.
Along the way, she has discovered that she is not alone. We’re all – in some ways – adopted into or out of homes, cultures, communities, and relationships as we grow and evolve. This show illuminates the theme of adoption, in all ways, in our lives. And how those experiences create who we are and who we are yet to be.
Her hope is that through engaging with the guests and creative content, we are welcomed home in this world, cradled in the belief that we belong, that we are worthy, and that we are loved.
So stay tuned, and you may discover your own adoption story.
The Anna Jinja Show
Jeff Wunderly & Dan Canterbury
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