I don't particularly know how to address you since I have never met you nor know your name. But here it goes:

I want to personally thank you for giving me the opportunity to live my life to the fullest. You gave me up to a family who loves me as their own. I may not be blood to them, but I am their child. You were selfless -- you knew that no way in the world would you have been stable enough to raise a child on your own when you were just a young 18-year-old yourself. You helped me realize what true love is. By that, I mean you weren't thinking of yourself when you got pregnant with me. You didn't choose to have an abortion, you didn't choose to dump me off with a family member of your own, you didn't choose to dump me off at a police station with no note or explanation -- you gave me the opportunity to become someone and make something with my life, and for that I am forever grateful.

You see, God uses everyone in very special ways. My parents couldn't have kids, so they chose to adopt. God specifically picked you to be the woman to help bring me to my parents. You helped me get to where I was going. You knew in your heart you were unable to give me the best life that I could have, and that's why you decided to let me go be with a family that was readily able and financially stable to help me become the young woman that I am today.

For many years I had so much hate in my heart for you. How could you do this to a child you carried for nine whole months in your womb? How could you be so selfish as to just give me up to whatever family the adoption agency chose? How could you be so selfish as to leave your child? And truthfully, I couldn't be any more wrong about holding that hate in my heart for so many years. You knew in your heart that you weren't ready for me, but I was helpless -- and so were you. You were so young and unable to be an adult yourself, and you were expected to become a parent at such a young age? I would be just as scared, too.

Above all, you loved me enough to let me go so I could become the young woman that I am today. You knew I wouldn't have been able to strive and excel in that environment or situation that you were in, so you gave me the opportunity to become all that I could be, and also bless a family that so desperately wanted to have a family of their own but were unable to.

It takes a very strong, special and blessed person to choose to put their child up for adoption. You chose to have a closed adoption with me and my family, and honestly, I couldn't thank you enough for it. You knew you weren't ready to meet me until you were ready, and rightfully so. At 22 years old, I still don't think I am ready to meet you, either.

Maybe someday our paths will cross, and I can tell you in person how happy and thankful I am that you chose to put me up for adoption so I could be all that I could be. All that I wish is that you're doing well, you're healthy, and you're happy with your life. Thank you for your selfless love. It saved my life.