CollegeBoy Turns 21 Today

September 3, 2010

Happy Birthday dear son.

At 21 years of age, you are now well on your way to a wonderful life, complete with challenges, successes, some momentary failures and lots and lots of good times you will truly enjoy. You are past that “my parents are so stupid’ phase and very close to the “boy they have a lot of experience they share with me’ phase. We like this phase much better.

For gifts, you have received a bunch already. You have education – something most people desire yet find so hard to attain. You have experience, the kind that will always be there for you to rely on when things are tough or unsolvable. You have love, the kind that only a father or mother has for their child, striking out on his own in this sometimes terrible and scary thing we call life. You have people who “have your back” as you journey forward – a wonderful, loving sister, a fantastic girlfriend, lots of good school friends and home friends and most of all, people watching out for you.

At 21 you get the title, adult, but you have had that for a while now, sort of in training. You have been there for others, have shared yourself with unending graciousness, spent a great deal of time helping others. These are the things that I can promise will return to you tenfold as you move on.

You were there for me when I was sick, and struggling to make it to another day, and you were there to offer encouragement and a smile and hug to let me know. I offer those back to you now as you continue your adventure. The day you left the cottage this summer, to return to school was one of the most difficult for us but also the most gratifying for your mom and I, as we see you growing up right before our eyes. You will always be our child but you along with MillieJupiter and your mom are also my best friends.

Enjoy your day, enjoy your friends, enjoy your celebration. But most of all, welcome to this club. Us adults don’t always know what we are doing but I can’t help but think you are going to be a welcome addition to the fold in helping us figure that out.

Best wishes always,

DAD