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When I was 30 years old, I found out the man who raised me was not my father. The news didn't come from my mother either until the secret was out. It came from my sister who was informed about the big secret from a woman who had gotten upset with my mother.

Since I live in Alabama, and my family lives in Kentucky, my sister decided I needed to know this secret before my mother knew she knew. I received the call and was asked what would I do if I found out that the man who raised me was not my father. I really just laughed since this sister was a trouble maker and loved to get things started. My mom was camping at the time, so I just told her I would ask when my mom returned home. So, a few days later after coming in from church, my husband said my mother had called. She was so sorry she never told me. Since I wasn't close to my step-father, I was ecstatic about it. So relieved. I lived with guilt for years because I didn't love the man I thought was my father.

I called my mom and she told me the whole story. My brother who is 2 years older than me also had a different father. She had gotten pregnant with my brother and while in the hospital having him, another woman in there also having a baby by the same man who was the father of my brother. When she met my dad, she was in love again. After becoming pregnant, he left town. She is all alone again. My dad came back 2 years later and since she had already married, she let him see me once and asked that he not come around anymore. So he didn't.

My real dad had married and they have 2 daughters. He never kept me a secret from his family. He figured my mom had told me the truth and I would come looking for them. Well I did just that when I found out. I had to know the man who was supposed to be my father. When I called the first time, his wife answered the phone and I hung up. I got my courage up and called again and she answered again. I told her who I was and she said "oh hi". I said, "you know who I am"? She said yes and then she let me talk with my dad. I told him I lived in Alabama but was coming to Kentucky and I wanted to meet him. We met. He told me his side of the story which was just like my mom had told it.

Was I upset with my mom? Why sure I was. I wasn't upset enough to hold it against her. She's my mom. She did what she thought was best. There were 5 of us kids. She had to think about them also. She thought about telling me many times when I would come in for a visit. Then she would think I would be so upset that I couldn't drive back home. I feel like the secret had been kept so long, it was just hard to tell the truth. I can't blame my mom because I don't really know what I would have done had I been in her shoes. Life happens the way it suppose to happen. God knew the right time for me to find out.

I am happy to say though, I have a relationship with my dad and my 2 new sisters. I missed out on growing up with those 2 sister and that saddens me. What matters most is our relationship now. All I can say, my mom did what she had to do, right or wrong.

Learn more about this author, Luella Smith.
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