A bedtime story... when you're 23
To my children,
So - you've now come to the roaring 20s. Pardon the literal reference... and hopefully you have taken on some F. Scott to balance your love of whatever media you consume when you are old enough to read this. Ahh the 20s.... I remember my 20s... kind of. I traveled the world and experienced just about every pleasure and pain one person could. Well... not really... but I definitely broadened my horizons. However, I did learn some thing along the way -
1. Tip well
2. Don't buy shit you don't need
3. Don't hang around with people who don't energize you or make you think
4. Find multiple mentors
5. Imbibe
6. Work hard - very hard
7. See the world every chance you get
8. Don't get married- wait until you know more about yourself you won't know anything in your 20s... unless you are a religious zealot - in that case - do what you like... you're already... ya know... boxed in anyway.
Ya know - there is thing that farmers do when they harvest their crops... they burn the fields. They do it to clear all the dead weight of the crops and sometimes to even speed up the fertilization process. That's kind of how I see your 20s. Burn it all down - figure it out for yourself - let go of all those things you thought you knew about yourself in your teens. Everything we taught you or your friends or school taught you are just suggested guide rails - the rest is really up to you.
I hope you leave that era of your life with stories, stronger friends, and even a stronger family relationship. Your Mom and I will always be here for you with love and understanding and from me - because I don't want to speak for you Mom - I will be here with some stories of my own and swift kick to your butt if I think you're doing it wrong or being lazy. That's my job.
Happy Thanksgiving - with all the love I could ever imagine having for anything in this world,
Dad
P.s. - Back to Fitzgerald. Please read Hesse, Kundera, Mann, Huxley, Orwell, Rand, Faulkner, Steinbeck... etc... Read. It's important. I should have read much more the last 10 years of my life. Your chance for impact diminishes with time... don't wait until you're old to love to learn... you'll thank me. Trust me.
First time... Dear Ella
Today for the first time
Other than in the car, or on the couch, or in our bed
I saw you sleeping...
In person...
In your bed.
I touched your golden hair.
I watched you breathe.
You snuggled your blanket against the world.
Your eyes fluttered under your lids.
It was time for school.
The moment had to end.
But not before...
I saw the most beautiful thing
I have ever seen.
You sleeping
In deep peace
Under my life
In my world
With my love
And yours
Mixed forever.
