Meeting a Family Member You Never Knew About

Several months ago, Scott found out that he had an older half sister that he was unaware of. She contacted him via email and mentioned that she had been adopted shortly after birth, and that Scott’s Dad was her birth father. Her search for Scott’s father had turned out to be bittersweet, as she discovered that he had already passed away by the time she found out his identity. She was able to determine that he did, however, have two sons, and that Scott was on social media and could be contacted.

When Scott and his sister first spoke, they discussed their similarities and medical histories. They were both marketing majors in college. They both like the same unusual flavors of ice cream; rum raisin and pistachio. They both have a love of the ocean. She has been with her partner for over thirty years, the same as us. His sister was interested in the medical history of their father, and having that knowledge filled in a lot of gaps for her. Soon, Scott and his sister made arrangements for us to meet.

We decided to meet in San Francisco as his sister and her family were traveling there on vacation. I booked a lunch and a walking architecture tour with the cities leading expert, Rick Evans . Just to throw a little voodoo into the plan, all the electricity went out in the city that morning. Lunch had to be cancelled and switched to another spot that miraculously was off the grid and had electricity. Part of the architecture tour included climbing dark stairwells in high-rises. We learned a lot about the city, and a lot about each other.

Plans were made for another visit later this year. In this age when friends become family, and family is often far away, meeting a family member you never knew you had is like discovering a new food you never knew existed. It’s delightful, joyful, exciting, a bit scary, and it leaves you wanting another taste.