What a DNA Test Can't Tell You (But Your Heart Can)

It’s easy to think of DNA tests as the ultimate truth-tellers. With a quick cheek swab or saliva sample, you can unlock ancestry, uncover health markers, and—sometimes—reveal life-altering surprises. But while DNA can show you the science of your origins, it can’t always speak to the meaning behind them.

It won’t tell you how to process the discovery of a new sibling or the absence of a biological parent. It won’t explain why a piece of information feels like a relief or a betrayal. And it certainly can’t help you integrate these new facts into the life you’ve already lived.

That’s where your heart comes in. The emotional work—grieving, forgiving, wondering, healing—belongs to you. And it’s valid. At Seek, I know this journey personally. At 57, I discovered the identity of my biological father. That revelation changed everything and nothing all at once. It reminded me that identity isn’t just inherited—it’s also lived, chosen, and continuously unfolding.

What do I mean by continuously unfolding? Well, early on in this discovery, I was told that as details reveal themselves, they would feel like mini tsunamis crashing into me.

That observation was spot on. Even after two and a half years of getting to know my father, I’m still making new discoveries and asking more questions. Who might we have been had we known each other earlier? What have we missed out on? Regrets have not been easy, but I’ve learned to navigate difficult emotions by adjusting my approach and expectations.

I hope my experience can help you in finding your way forward. If you're facing a discovery that reshapes your story, know this: your DNA may guide you, but your heart will carry you home. And you don’t have to go it alone.

Twisted truth or ladder to connectedness?

So, if you're facing a discovery that reshapes your story, know this: your DNA may guide you, but your heart will carry you forward. And you don’t have to walk through it alone.

May you walk forward with renewed strength, a tender heart, and the quiet confidence that healing and growth are always possible. I’m honored to walk beside you on the journey.

Wishing you love, peace, and joy!