The Dropbox Baby

Sorry about the vacation but training for work and trying to do Nano, I got a behind trying to do it all. 

Today I have a short story inspired by a news article: Korean pastor saving babies with anonymous ‘Baby Box’.  The article in part reads:   " Hundreds of unwanted babies are abandoned on the side of the street in South Korea every year. Jong-rak knew he needed to set up a way to save the lives of these precious babies.  He built a drop box on the side of his home with a humble sign reading, “Place to leave babies.”"

Here's today's short story:

November 19, 2030

Seventeen years ago, there was a documentary made about my life and hundreds of others just like me. We are the "Dropbox Babies." I wasn't aware that I held that distinction until a year ago, when my parents showed me the documentary. I knew I had been adopted as I don't look like my adopted American parents.

I was one of the lucky ones. My mother left a note saying this was the best she could do for me. This was the best she could do for me, really?

The pastor found me a good home. I had a good family and a good life but doubts still nagged at the back of my mind. How could she give me away, if I was so special? I wasn't physically or mentally handicapped, just unwanted. I am not alone, over eight thousand children were abandon in 2010 in my biological country of South Korea.

My family showed me church but I felt unlovable. If the woman, whom had brought me into this world couldn't love me, I wasn't worthy of love. I was mad at God and the world.

Then I watched the documentary and the film maker became a Christian during the filming. He could see God's hand in the saving of what seemed like doomed children. Maybe there was hope for me.

I was preparing to make my way into the world, out from under my parent's wings. I realized I, too, had been loved and still loved as tears streamed down my mother's face as I left to return to see my birth country with a reunion group of returning "Dropbox Babies." 

Dad too, although, he wiped them clean, not wanting the camera to catch his moment of weakness. He whispered, "I wish we could be there to share this time of discovery. But we understand you need to do this alone." He squeezed my shoulder. "Just remember we are always here for you. You'll always be the son of my heart. I love you." 

One last embrace from mom, she cried, "Go find yourself. God has a plan for your life. He always has. It's why he rescued you. But please, please come back to us. I love you."

It was a favorite saying of my parents that I was the son of their prayers and heart, if not of their bodies. It has taken my trip back to my homeland to understand that saying.

~Picture it & Write! - Future Unknown

Ermilia's Picture it & Write! Click on the picture to learn more.

Lavina hated her mom at this moment. Throwing herself to the sand, she couldn't care less that it was damp. She didn't hate her mom, not really, but she wished her mom would just try and listen to her side of the argument. They were arguing all the time these days. It was like she wanted Lavina to be "old and full of wisdom."

Laying her head down, it hit something very hard. Rubbing the back of her head, she said, "Really, people are pigs!" Someone had left trash on the beach. A glass bottle, no less. It could break and people could get nasty cuts, infections and could die. Great! Now, she sounded like mom. She hated that side of herself. 

Of course, no one heard her. The beach was deserted. With brilliant colors gracing the evening sky, Lavina was surprised that she was alone. 

Twirling the bottle around, Lavina notice the magnifying effect the bottle had on the gorgeous sunset that had drawn her to the beach tonight. Hoping it would relax her. She had been so uptight lately. With senior pictures around the corner and her senior year starting in a few weeks, the pressure was mounting. 

What was she going to do with her future? She needed a magnifier to help her see her far away future. But where did one get such a thing? Even mom couldn't predict the future.

I love sunsets! Hope you enjoyed the short story.

Blessings,

Kim Izzy

~Picture it & write! - Do you see what I see?

Picture from Ermilia's  ~Picture it & Write!

Two girls came skipping out of the forest. Barely, they stopped before landing in a concrete pond full of lily pads.

"Do you see what I see?" Georgina asked Alyssa, while rubbing her eyes.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Alyssa said. Her eyes glazed over.

"What? Why would you think a bed in a pond is beautiful?"

"The frilly teal shimmering curtains hanging from the canopy. The gold tassels all along the top." Alyssa sighed.

"Yuck, look at the muddy mess where the pond water has been absorbed up the curtains. The mattress is just inches above the water. There's got to be bugs, spiders and other nasty things in that bed." Georgina vibrated with horror.

Alyssa shook her head, "Put a few lit floating candles in the water. After dark, they would look like fireflies."

"Don't even get me started on the mosquitoes!" Georgina continued on.

"Who would do something like this?" Alyssa asked.

"Someone crazy, of course. To ruin a perfectly good bed that way, what a waste!" Georgina said.

"No, not a crazy person. Someone romantic, artistic. It's not a waste! It's beautiful!" Alyssa stared at the bed.

"I can't see what you see." Georgina said rubbing her eyes, focusing and un-focusing them. "Nope, just can't see it."

Alyssa turned and stared at her friends, shaking her head, "Agree to disagree?" She held out her hand to Georgina, "But we can still be friends, right?"

Georgina looked back at the bed, shook her head. She reached for Alyssa's hand. "Friends!"

The girls turned back and skipped down the path. Alyssa looked back over shoulder at the unusual sight.

Hope you enjoy my short story.

Blessings,

Kim Izzy