To All Great Foster and Adoptive Parents.

28 years ago, an 8-year-old boy and his younger brother were taken to a foster home upon the arrest of their crime-prone, single-parent mother. Just a couple of hours earlier, these poor kids were roused from their sleep by the pounding and knocking down of their door by the police. While still suffering from the emotional trauma, the confused and frightened kids stared gloomily at their foster parents who tried to calm them down. Being so late in the night however, they were shown into their room.

The following morning after taking their showers and fully dressed, the kids were pleasantly ushered into the dining area. Two things caught their attention immediately. The two had never seen so much delicious foods in their lives. And in the center of the table was a huge cake. It had been prepared all through the night by their foster mother who reminded the older kid that the day was his 8th year anniversary and that the cake was meant for the birthday celebration. Stunned, the boy burst into tears. In a subsequent offer of apology, he explained that he had never celebrated a birthday. Most times in the past anyway, he and his sibling often forgot their respective birthdays. This celebration would then become an annual tradition instituted by the couple who went on to adopt the two brothers. 20 years later with college degrees, great jobs and now married, the two brothers and their wives have since welcomed into their respective homes a foster kid each, who they eventually adopted. This was in line with a joint resolution they had earlier made.

This story was the content of an e-mail I received today from a guy who wanted me to share it with other readers. His objective was three-fold. To appreciate the roles of all great foster/adoptive parents. He wondered what the fates of he and his brother would have been today without their adoptive parents. He expected those of us who were (are) raised by biological, foster or adoptive parents not to take the kind gestures for granted. And finally, he wanted everyone to try showing some acts of kindness to those in need.

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