Here’s one of the things I’m wondering. When I meet someone, we often talk about my origins (I’m from Laos), and it ends up with something like that:

- Where are you from?
- From France.
- No, I mean, your origins?
- Oh, Laos.
- Great, have you already been there?
- Never.
- Don’t you have family there?
- I’ve been adopted actually.
- Oh, sorry (getting embarrassed and moving on another topic…)

This one last sentence is the one I don’t get. Why are people sorry every single time I tell them this “story”?

Sorry for not knowing my biological parents? Sorry for being educated by total strangers? Well, I’ll tell you what. A couple (or, maybe it’s just a woman) abandon me like cowards and you’d be less sorry if I lived with these parents?

Truth is, I’ve had the best parents any kid could have dreamed. They reached the perfect balance between severity and freedom for making me grow up the right way. They succeed at a task a lot of people fail: taking good care of their child. Now there’s no reason for you to be sorry about that, right?

So, next time you’ll meet another adopted people, think twice before saying you’re sorry!

Note: Please don’t use this picture, it’s a really personal memory.