Too late to vote for you, but I am glad, as it is only worth cents, but it has forced me to take the better way of showing my appreciation of all you wrote and the person you've described yourself as.

Please do not take this as some kind of pat on the head, I would never DARE be patronising to someone as self-fulfilled as you, so, here is what I wanted to say.

I have reached (hopefully) the three-quarter part of my life and for all these years I have deeply wished for a daughter. I've had, temporarily a step-daughter (of sorts) and she was my pride and joy, but her mom moved on, to the other side of the world. I helped bring up a niece who is bright and has done very well, teaching herself and even now, past 30 years old, she studies at night and weekends for more degrees.

But deep inside me I yearned for a daughter of my own, one who...and this is where I came a-cropper, for I more than anything else wanted her to be intelligent, good-hearted and with a spirit and mind that burns fiercely. My wishes, if I'd had her and they had been granted, means she probably would not have had a happy life.

Well, maybe vegetables are happy, I want her to know she is alive and eager to go to the stars.

Reading your post, I got the feeling that you are that daughter I dreamt of - even though we'll never meet.