Titled Sentences - (past) always remember that you are unique, like everyone else

You Are Unique

Dan came home from his first day at the new school. His head was bent, eyes downcast and he wouldn't say anything to me. Dan was the newest of our foster children and I knew he'd already had a tough life.
He'd been taken into the system at the age of seven, when his heroin addicted parents were arrested and taken away. He hadn't seen them since, and though they wouldn't give up parental rights so that he could be adoptable, they also didn't bother with him.
I could tell that this -- another new school hadn't gone well. At the age of nine; having been to more schools and had more foster parents than any little one should, had affected him so that he just felt he'd never fit anywhere. It was in his records. Records that didn't really tell us what had happened at schools or if he'd had any friends at all. The records only said that he didn't concentrate, that he cried in class and that he was unhappy.
I asked him if he wanted to sit and have a cookie or two with me. Silently, as he did almost everything, he took a seat at the kitchen table. I placed a glass of milk and a couple of homemade cookies in front of him and he slowly began to eat. I ruffled his blond hair and noticed silent tears running down his cheeks.
"Honey," I said, "What's wrong? Did something happen? Talk to me."
Choking sobs.
I held him close, but gently and asked again, "What happened today?"
More sobs. Then, "Nobody ever likes me. I don't fit anywhere. The other kids have parents. The kids tease me no matter where I am and I know that nobody really wants me. I must be just no good."
This was a huge speech for Dan and I knew that he'd have to have had a terrible day to say so much to me, the foster mom.
I didn't know what to do, what to say. Nothing seemed right. How to ease this beautiful childs pain?
Holding him, gently rocking him, I thought and said, "We want you. Always remember, you are unique, like everybody else, whether or not you live with us or your parents."
I could see a small ray of hope in his eyes.
Then, came the words, "Do you want me? Cuz they don't."
I felt the tears running down my face alongside his.
"We want you and we love you and you can stay here and whatever's wrong, we'll work it out."
He looked at me in disbelief, or wanting to believe; I'm not sure. I do know that we had Dan till he grew up and with help and love, he became a different child. The child that had been inside all along, wanting and needing love and care, emerged, with counseling and unconditional love.
Lots of love helped, as he'd never had anyone care enough to take him before.
We love Dan still and he's our son. One of the many that passed through our doors, settled in our hearts and stayed there. We're Mom and Dad to this day, and when he stops over with his sweet wife and their two little ones, we tell them too. We tell them to always remember that they are unique, like everyone else and we tell them how much their Grandma and Grandpa love them.

mn - 2007 (Former foster parents for many years, we know the children are all unique!)