The World of Grandpa Don

I could have felt unwanted and rejected by my mother when I discovered, at the age of 31 that I was adopted. It was a shock, and the feelings went from disbelief to wonder and then settled into gratitude. Some would feel as if it was the ultimate in rejection and lack of love to have a mother who would give her baby, the child of her womb, to the care of strangers, never to see him again. I do not chose to feel this way.

What I did think was that after i was conceived (and I chose not to make any judgment on that), my mother made the decision that I would live. She valued the life she was not only carrying, but supporting in its growth and development. She recognized herself as a partner with God in creation. This required sacrifice on her part and a great deal of discomfort ... and possibly shame. For her to make that initial decision, she has my deepest gratitude.

I then imagined that as my birth approached, another decision had to be made and it was obvious to me that she found it impractical for her to rear and support another child. In addition, society was not tolerant of unmarried motherhood in the early 30's. It made no difference if the decision was made from the standpoint of her situation, whatever that may have been. It was to my benefit that I should be raised by a father and mother who desperately wanted a child.  Again, my reaction was one of gratitude. I certainly did not feel rejection but that a practical and loving decision was made, however painful it may had been.

There was another woman who had conceived and carried a child to almost full term on several occasions only to have that child die before or during delivery. She and her husband became aware of the available baby on one of these occasions. The adoption agency was contacted and the request was made to adopt that baby ... not any baby, but the one that was in the hospital at that time and could not go home with his mother.

She took him home ...
He was hungry ... she fed him
He was thirsty ... she gave him drink
He was naked ... she clothed him
He was sick ... she tended to him
He was in distress ... she comforted him
He was homeless ... she gave him shelter

See Mathew 34 - 40

Together with my father, they educated me, corrected me, instilled values of conduct and planted the seeds of spirituality and faith in God.

A child could not ask for more than this.

I am confident that my two mothers have met in heaven, ... God being pleased with them both, and they are content and at peace with their lives. They should be.

Thank you Lucy.

Thank you Sylvia.

And a big "thank you" to a kind and loving God.

Harry Cecora,
Don Plefka
7/27/2006