To 9 on his birthday
Dear 9,
You are a magical person, and I love you. Making your birthday montage every year is always a treat. You are such a happy, happy kid, and I hope you never lose that inner font of giddy contentment. I love your smile and your laugh and the silly things you do without worrying about who's watching. You make my world a brighter place and I'm so grateful for that (and for you).
You're not a perfect child, by any means (who is, and what is perfect anyway?) but I am so proud of how hard you try to be a good person, and how ready you are to say "I'm sorry, I screwed up" when you make a mistake. It takes most people, even grown-ups, years to have the confidence and grace to say "I'm sorry" and mean it. This is another gift you've been given, and if you hang onto it I believe it will take you far.
This year, you changed so much. You became a listener and a questioner. You asked me hard questions and I did my best to give you honest answers. I have tried to walk the line between protecting you and giving you the truth you're obviously searching for. I just hope that I haven't given you too much information about our mixed up world and the startling acts of cruelty often perpetrated in it, but I would rather you be prepared than surprised/shocked/traumatized down the line. And I think if anyone deserves truth it is your generation. You will be the ones charged with turning the tide and protecting the future of our people and our world. It's a big responsibility, no doubt about it.
But if your hands were the only ones to consider, I'd feel confident the world was in good ones.
Thank you for your sweet heart and your silly smiles and love of adventure and easy-going, forgiving nature. Thank you for your trust and our talks and your very excellent hugs. And thank you for making me a mom 9 years ago.
Much love,
Your Mom
You are a magical person, and I love you. Making your birthday montage every year is always a treat. You are such a happy, happy kid, and I hope you never lose that inner font of giddy contentment. I love your smile and your laugh and the silly things you do without worrying about who's watching. You make my world a brighter place and I'm so grateful for that (and for you).
You're not a perfect child, by any means (who is, and what is perfect anyway?) but I am so proud of how hard you try to be a good person, and how ready you are to say "I'm sorry, I screwed up" when you make a mistake. It takes most people, even grown-ups, years to have the confidence and grace to say "I'm sorry" and mean it. This is another gift you've been given, and if you hang onto it I believe it will take you far.
This year, you changed so much. You became a listener and a questioner. You asked me hard questions and I did my best to give you honest answers. I have tried to walk the line between protecting you and giving you the truth you're obviously searching for. I just hope that I haven't given you too much information about our mixed up world and the startling acts of cruelty often perpetrated in it, but I would rather you be prepared than surprised/shocked/traumatized down the line. And I think if anyone deserves truth it is your generation. You will be the ones charged with turning the tide and protecting the future of our people and our world. It's a big responsibility, no doubt about it.
But if your hands were the only ones to consider, I'd feel confident the world was in good ones.
Thank you for your sweet heart and your silly smiles and love of adventure and easy-going, forgiving nature. Thank you for your trust and our talks and your very excellent hugs. And thank you for making me a mom 9 years ago.
Much love,
Your Mom
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