I was adopted immediately after birth. As an adult adoptee I still see the world differently from those who grew up with biological parents or relatives. This life-changing experience made me sensitive to others, empathetic almost to a fault, and with regard for trust as a gift to be nurtured and cherished. After growing up in a small, conservative Mid-Western town, I yearned to see the world and joined the submarine corps. I served for 20 years, rising to Diving Officer, the