Adoption is all around us, even if we don’t recognize it. According to the Adoption Network, almost one in every 25 families in the United States with children have an adopted child. Nearly 140,000 children are adopted annually. Whatever the reason, choosing to put your child up for adoption isn’t easy for any parent. “Lifemark” tells the story of Melissa Cates, a pregnant teenager at a crossroads. In 1993, Melissa found herself at an abortion clinic preparing to abort her child. However, she changed her mind at the last minute and chose to give her baby up for adoption instead. This decision wasn’t easy for Melissa, but she knew it was the best decision for her baby.

The Colton family in Louisiana adopted Melissa’s baby, David. David always felt he was adopted as a child, but he knew that his parents and grandparents loved him dearly. On his 18th birthday, David is uncertain but excited about his future. However, David’s world is turned upside down when his birth mother reaches out to him via the adoption agency and social media. David and his birth mother eventually meet face to face, and she tells him he’s adopted. David’s mind is filled with questions like whether he should respond to his birth mother. He also wonders where his birth father is and questions why his parents put him up for adoption.

At that moment, David finds himself at a crossroads similar to the one his mother was at those years ago. Should he attempt to foster a relationship with his birth parents or continue his life as if she never reached out to him? Ultimately, with the encouragement of his adoptive parents, David realizes that he doesn’t have to choose one or the other and can have both sets of parents. From that point, David starts to learn more about his birth parents while also forgiving them for the difficult decision they had to make. David goes on with life, knowing that both sets of parents love him and want the best for him.

“Lifemark” is based on the life of David Scotton, who started telling his story in 2011 at a Pro-Life Oratory Contest at a New Orleans high school. After the film’s debut, Scotton appeared on national television, at Catholic high schools and showed the film to Congress members to let people know that adoption is an alternative to abortion.

“Lifemark” is a heartwarming story of a mother’s decision to lead her child to have a better life. It’s also the story of a young man who had to decide what to do with his future. David is lucky to have an adoptive mother who desires a relationship with him. However, that’s not the truth for all adopted children. In the end, David learned that it’s okay to accept the different parts of his life because they all add to who he is. “Lifemark” also teaches viewers that it’s okay to forgive; David ultimately forgave his birth parents because he realized they wanted better for him. “Lifemark” is available on DVD and on several streaming platforms.