A Letter to J.D.--Paragon of Wisdom and Logic

To My Beloved Son:

In an earlier time and place, neither of us would have survived your birth--the pneumonia, the emergency Caesarian Section, and everything else involved. I can only conclude that I was chosen by God to bring one of His most special spirits into the world. It was “meant to be”, as they say.

What have you “brought to the table”?

• Leadership 
• The ability to stand up for what you believe against the odds 
• Empathy 
• Wisdom beyond your years 
• Common sense 
• A logical mind that can cut through the unreasonableness of people and society 
• An inherent sense of right and wrong

What happened? When did you become an adult? In my mind, you are still a ninth grader dealing with your first year of high school.

Is it possible you graduated last year? Where was I when this happened, metaphorically speaking? Perhaps I am even focusing on the image of you as a baby, since change has always been intimidating to me.

You’ve helped me to change by doing the following:

• Broadened my horizons (shown me new worlds, including anime) 
• Demonstrated that the concepts of “right” and “wrong” are often more complicated than I supposed 
• Taught me the more we think we know, the less we do know. In other words, people are always learning and growing.

My Conclusion

With your intelligence and compassion, the sky is the limit. I can’t wait to see what path you choose! Only you can decide. I am only the fortunate guide for the beginning of your life.