Every once in a while, the New York Times tracks down somebody with a truly meaningful, beautiful story to tell. This is one of those stories.

In this piece, playwright Peter Mercurio tells the story of how he and his partner became parents faster than they ever could have planned. 13 years ago, Peter’s partner Danny found a newborn baby abandoned in a subway station. After they contacted the proper authorities and went to appear in court to describe how they found the child, they were asked if they were interested in adopting.

Without consulting each other but also with (practically) no hesitation, they said yes. A few months later, they had a son. 

A caseworker arranged for us to meet the baby at his foster home in early December. Danny held the fragile baby first, then placed him in my arms. In order to protect myself from future heartache, I had convinced myself I could not, and would not, become inextricably attached. I didn’t trust the system and was sure there would be obstacles. But with the baby’s eyes staring up at me, and all the innocence and hope he represented, I, like Danny, was completely hooked.

The tearjerking ending of the piece comes when the same judge who performed the adoption of Peter and Danny’s son also marries them in 2011 in New York. Lovely story to brighten your morning.