ADVERTISEMENT
The principal, moved by the raw display of character, invited my father to be the one to walk me across the stage to receive my diploma. The applause that erupted was louder than any cheer for a star athlete or a valedictorian. As we walked, I linked my arm through his and told him he was stuck with me forever. He laughed, a sound of pure, earned relief. Biology might leave its mark on a person, but it is the choices we make that define our lives. Liza gave me life, but my father gave me a soul, and as we stepped onto that stage, the entire world knew exactly who my real parent was.
