This memory goes back fifteen years. I remember it vividly: a little girl from the orphanage gazed at me with her sparkling green eyes for a few minutes and then suddenly asked, Do you have a daughter? Somewhat taken aback, I answered, No, I dont.
She let out a sigh, her expression growing sad. Wouldnt you like one? she asked softly. I stood there, chewing over her words, until she spoke again: I could be your daughter. If youd want me to, of course
My mind was whirling. I already had a twenty-year-old son. I didnt see myself needing another child. Yet her wordsA daughter wouldnt be unwelcomeand her wide eyes utterly transfixed me.
Id always dreamed of having a daughter. I wanted a little princess to buy dresses, ribbons, and dolls for; someone to join me putting on make-up and playing girly games. But fate had given me a son, and Id never dared to try for another child. So, I stood there thinking, surely Im too old now to start raising a little girl? Was I simply chasing an old dream?
And yet, I heard myself say, Of course I would! That was all it tookshe rushed into my arms and hugged me with a love that seemed to have built up over years spent in the orphanage.
Through that hug, she gave me every bit of affection shed stored away, longing for a family. Her name was Emily. She was five at the time, brought into the home when she was just eighteen months old after her parents perished in a car accident that claimed seven lives in all. Ever since, Emily had been yearning for a family, but as so many children pass through orphanages, her wait seemed endless.
You cant imagine the delight she took in having new relatives, or how quickly she learned each family members name and their place in the house. Everyone adored her from the outsetshe had the most loving nature. My wife was originally hesitant about my idea, but in moments, Emily had won her over completely. She called us Mum and Dad almost immediately, and my wife never entertained the thought of parting with her.
Everything seemed to come naturally to Emily; she settled into school and matched her classmates without fuss. When she entered year one, her teachers remarked on her sharp mind and logical thinking. Her latest passion is poetryEmily writes verses now, and shes the darling of everyone she meets.
Every day, I thank my lucky stars that I decided to pop by that orphanage all those years ago. From this, Ive learnt that sometimes happiness appears in the most unexpected waysyou simply have to open your heart to it.
