My Dearest Son,
Two days to go, and you turn four. And I would like you to know that it has been the most fulfilling four years of my life.
I expect the next four years to be filled with amazement as the first, as anxiety-ridden as the second, and as fun as the third. And while I know that I will never have all the answers, I can only hope that I would know the more important ones. But please understand that there will be times that I would need to grope for an answer -
"Daddy, why do I have a dark spot on my pwet?"
And there will be times that some things need not be questioned -
"Daddy, why is your bird big and big and fat?"
Or when your questions are too complex even for a grown up to answer -
"Daddy, why is there always a bad guy?"
As you celebrate your birthday each year, you will realize that I have been fumbling with fatherhood, and that you, my firstborn, the love of my life, have been practically a test subject. And though you were the original model for an unsure father, you were also the fulfillment of my entire being, my purpose to be here.
With each birthday you celebrate, the days in between will fade from memory, yours and mine. That is how the universe works.
But as I sit here, right now, know that I have committed to memory all the looks that you have given me - happy, hurt and sad; that I remember our conversations and still know our secret handshake; and that I will forever hold in my heart the memory of holding a four year old boy close to me, and thinking that there is no other place I would rather be.
Two days to go, and you turn four. I am looking forward to forty more.
I love you. I will be here. Always.
Daddy
Technorati Tags: Birthday, Baby, Toddler, Secret Handshake
Two days to go, and you turn four. And I would like you to know that it has been the most fulfilling four years of my life.
I expect the next four years to be filled with amazement as the first, as anxiety-ridden as the second, and as fun as the third. And while I know that I will never have all the answers, I can only hope that I would know the more important ones. But please understand that there will be times that I would need to grope for an answer -
"Daddy, why do I have a dark spot on my pwet?"
And there will be times that some things need not be questioned -
"Daddy, why is your bird big and big and fat?"
Or when your questions are too complex even for a grown up to answer -
"Daddy, why is there always a bad guy?"
As you celebrate your birthday each year, you will realize that I have been fumbling with fatherhood, and that you, my firstborn, the love of my life, have been practically a test subject. And though you were the original model for an unsure father, you were also the fulfillment of my entire being, my purpose to be here.
With each birthday you celebrate, the days in between will fade from memory, yours and mine. That is how the universe works.
But as I sit here, right now, know that I have committed to memory all the looks that you have given me - happy, hurt and sad; that I remember our conversations and still know our secret handshake; and that I will forever hold in my heart the memory of holding a four year old boy close to me, and thinking that there is no other place I would rather be.
Two days to go, and you turn four. I am looking forward to forty more.
I love you. I will be here. Always.
Daddy
Technorati Tags: Birthday, Baby, Toddler, Secret Handshake
Pleaded by Appellant on Wednesday, November 08, 2006 @ 2:50 AM with 3 Objections
