Just Kim!

Over the years, many of my childhood and high school friends have seen me as "just Kim!"  Not as my Asian friend or my Korean friend or my adopted friend.  Heck, some of my friends didn't even know I was adopted until they started reading this blog!  That goes back to me being "just Kim!" 

I never really thought much about it growing up because I was just being myself...and as we all know, that can be hard enough (especially through the teenage years).  But, it amazes me now (a little) and then again not that sooo many of my friends over the last month or so have told me they always (and still) see me as "just Kim!"  I love that! 

Even though they may have known my older brother or at least who he was in high school (since he was a senior when I was a freshman)...they never had 'that' question pop up in their heads, "How is that possible?"  Really?  I just always assumed people knew because it was so obvious...at least to me, so I never really talked about it.  But, apparently I blend in better than I thought!  In all reality, it was probably because I never 'acted' Asian.  I was like every other white kid in school so that's what they saw...they saw me...who I truly am!  And, that's ALL goodness!  That's all we can really ask of ourselves...now and in the future.  Just be ourselves!

Most of the time you never really know how people see you unless you ask them directly, so to know that people are looking past my physical appearance and can see the person I have been, am and will be is again a testament to my upbringing.  Solid reassurance, acceptance and support.  It allowed me to be 'just me."

And yes, even my friends who knew my parents or saw me at practices, games, dance classes, etc. with them either never questioned it because I was "just Kim" to them or they never asked the question out loud.  So, when I really stop to think about it...how people have seen me over the years...it's really a gift to know that people have truly seen "just me."  So, for those of you who have seen me as "just Kim" over the years, I hope that never changes!  Thanks...you've made me smile!  :-)