A Thank You…..

To whom it may concern,

How do you say thank you to someone you’ve never met? To someone who you may never meet? To someone who probably made the most significant decision that has ever affected your life?

This is written to a pair of people who had a profound impact on my life. I don’t know their names, where they live, who they are, what their interests are. I’m not even sure they knew what my Korean name was (Park Kwon-Do for those who are wondering). But I thought they had a right to know what happened to what had to have been the most difficult decision a parent would have to make.

Life has turned out alright for me. Thank you for what you did. I can only imagine what it must’ve been like to have to make that type of decision. To go 9 months wanting to have this baby, only to see it be born with a cleft lip and palate and knowing in that instant, that you couldn’t provide for him the way that you wanted to. To me, that has to be one of the greatest examples of love and sacrifice that I have in my life. When you made the decision to give me up for adoption, I’m not sure what type of life you were thinking you were leaving me, but I’m sure you thought that it would be better then what you could provide for me had I stayed with you.

I was adopted by a great family. A mom and dad that truly love me. Grandparents who left a legacy. Aunts and Uncles who I love to see. Cousins who are basically siblings. True friends that have become family. I was the first child to be adopted by my mom and dad who then decided to adopt 2 more kids, a sister and a brother.

Right now I am living in Washington DC. I have a great job teaching tennis at one of the premier Country Clubs in the nation. I’ve made numerous new friends that I thoroughly enjoy hanging out with. I’ve found a church that has helped me find a new community.

I don’t know what the rest of my life will hold. But I do know that it has turned out pretty good for me so far. By the grace of God I was lucky enough to be adopted by my parents. To live where I lived. To go to school where I did. To have the friends that I have. And to end up in DC with a job that I love. Doesn’t get much better then that.

Thank you.