Dear Mother (Who I Never Knew):

I thought I would take a few minutes and tell you about the son you gave birth to; since chances are great that you will never read this I guess this letter is more for me than you, a cleansing of sorts to put things in perspective and bring some closure.

I was adopted nine months after you gave birth by Evelyn and Dale Holland of Tacoma, Washington. They were in their twenties when they adopted a blind child who had been bounced around from one foster home to another, eight times in fact, and they gave me a home and a loving environment in which to grow and thrive. Sure they had their problems; what young couple doesn’t? There was never a moment, however, during my upbringing when I doubted their love for me. They both worked hard and did everything in their power to provide a loving home. They pampered me, as most parents will, and they made sure that I attended the best schools that they could afford, often going without so that I would have the tools and opportunities to succeed. They are both dead now; dad died of a heart attack when I was twenty and mom died of cancer in 2003 and I miss them both greatly. The lessons they taught me and their words still live on today and I find myself recalling those words and lessons and I smile. Like most kids I often turned a deaf ear when they tried to teach me something but in the end the lessons stuck and have guided me throughout my life.

I had a good childhood. I was small for my age but finally grew to a fairly normal size. I was a happy child with good friends and a great neighborhood to explore and a safe environment that fostered learning and love. I was sickly as a child, seemingly catching every flu and cold bug but I managed to avoid the horrible diseases that so many caught during the Fifties and Sixties.

Once I had traversed the landscape of childhood my body grew strong and impervious to any disease so that today I look back and marvel at the body you gave me. I am sixty-three now and have been blessed with a body that seems to know no limits or restrictions. I have only been to the hospital once, for a back operation, and considering what I put my body through over the years it is nothing short of a miracle that it continues to function as well as it does.



