Thank you is just not big enough ...

I’d like to let the world know about the kindness of two people that have played a very important part in my life and in the life of someone very special to me, for a little more than 18 years now. The funny thing is that I never knew them until I met them a few weeks ago. The very special person I mention … I just met her a few weeks ago too. This special girl is my daughter and the two people are her parents … her adoptive parents.

I was 15 years old. Just a little girl still, but old enough to know that I was not old enough to give my precious baby the life I wanted for her. I explained all this in a letter to the adoptive parents, along with the fact that I have a teddy bear that is identical to the one that went home with their new baby. I told them I’d keep this bear forever in the hopes that one day she and I would be reunited. They never hid this from her. In fact they gave her the letter I wrote for them.

It turns out that she has always had an interest in one day meeting me. Her parents have always been very open with her and supported her interest. They have been very open to meeting me and have welcomed me into their family.

For years I wondered … would she know? Would she understand? Would she want to know me? They could have told her anything they wanted. They could have hidden the letter. Could have kept it a secret about the teddy bear. Could have kept their daughter to themselves. Their openness and honesty is because they love her very much. But it’s not just love, but also an amazing and genuine kindness that they have shown her. And I see it as an amazing and genuine kindness they’ve shown me as well. I will never forget it and will be forever thankful for this very unselfish kindness.

To K.E.C.: I love you, I always have. To her parents: I thank you with all my heart and soul.