A Birthday Letter to My Daughter

Dear Daughter,

Twenty-five years ago you came in my life. You didn’t come with a set of instructions which kind of made it difficult on your poor ol’dad. I didn’t know how to change a diaper or make a bottle or any of that stuff. Some how I learned and you got your basic needs met and you survived your baby and infant years with me as your Dad.

As you got older, things were changing with you. I was still looking for that set of instructions as I had sort of got the infant and toddler stuff down.

I was learning on the fly with you. You were teaching me that the world wasn’t all about me. Sometimes I aced the lesson of the day and sometimes I flunked it. Still during those pre-school years you managed to keep chugging along as I was fumbling around.

I know stuff happened in your life that was traumatic during those early years. Somehow, you showed so much resilience that you taught me how to forgive. I carried a lot of shit from my past and your undying love taught me to forgive those who wronged me. You freed me to become a better person and more importantly a better father to you and your brother.

Speaking of your brother. I know that I say, even as you two get older you two are like three-year olds in the sandbox. I still remember when I brought him home, you looked at him and in your little brain thought “Baby nice, Baby cute, Baby staying here, Oh Hell No,” and then it was on between you two. But hold the presses, over time you developed a motherly approach to him (even though you two are only 18 months in age), guiding and helping in life. This was something innate and was never taught. It shows how much of a caring person you are.

In high school, you really started to blossom into a wonderful person. Even though it was rough at the start. You started to mature and become the person you are.

I remember watching you run cross country. You were never in the front pack but I could not have been prouder of you as you gave everything you had in each race you ran. I know that there were times that you wanted to quit but you kept on going. The goal for you was to finish and you finished every race. I was and am so proud of you as you reached down and did your best every time.

That instinct to grind is something that you do in everything in life. You are a true grinder and always want to finish what you start-no matter what is in your way.

After high school, you ended up going to three different colleges and still graduated in four years. A-fuckin mazing. You did one year 3,000 miles from home in an environment that was totally foreign (New Hampshire is totally different than the diverse San Francisco Bay Area where you grew up) to you and you flourished there. You also found your passion there.

You made your way back to the Bay Area and graduated from the same college as your dad. You even worked on the school paper like pops. Nothing I have ever done can amount to the pride the I have in you.

You are living on your own now, working, going to graduate school and everything else. I know it is not easy but you grind away everyday.

I love you so much and I am so honored to be your father. You have enriched my life so much. Thank you so very much.

Always remember that you were born an original, so why die a copy. Keep being the original that you are.

Also remember that I am so proud of you and honored that you let me be your father.

Love,

Dad