Dear Brainy Bird,
You are 333 days away from your 18th birthday. Your lucky number has always been three, so this makes for a good day to write you a letter. Some years back, I had a health scare. You may recall our trip to Denver over Christmas that year. You were still quite young; you had not started high school yet. There was a reason that we were back at the hotel, and I was in bed before eight every night. I remember you and Little Chirp snuggled up with snacks watching movies on the hotel’s pay per view. Our little family has always been able to make the most of any situation. We certainly made the most of a vacation that consisted playing in the snow a bit, and mostly hanging out at the hotel. Little Chirp had begged me to take him to see snow, that is why we went.
In those days, my entire life goal was to live until you turned eighteen. Most parents would fear leaving their estate to an eighteen-year-old. I had complete confidence in you. The only fear that I had in the face of death was not getting to see what you become.
Today, I am healthy, and I plan to live to be a hundred years old. Watching you and Little Chirp grow is my reason for living. This is a huge year for you. This is the year that you will be applying for colleges and making your first big decisions in life – where to go to college and what to major in. I think that you are going to head off to Indiana University and major in computer science, but who knows what the world might have in store for you.
I am beyond proud of you. Your academic achievements are a small part of this. Not that your academic achievements are small by any stretch of the imagination; rather, it is that your character and accomplishments extend way beyond your test taking abilities.
You are an amazing son. You are trustworthy, and you take care things around the house when I am gone. You can more than take care of yourself. You take care of Potatoe, Storme, Trooper and Pumpkine, and most importantly you take incredible care of your little brother.
Little Chirp worships the ground that you walk on, and I cannot imagine a better role model for him. I love that the two of you have real conversations when you are together as opposed to sitting in silence, or worst yet, having your faces buried in your phones. I love that you take him places, and that you are always willing to spend time with him. Sure, you would have more fun with your friends, but you appreciate how much time with you means to the little guy, and you put him ahead of yourself. That trait is going to make you an amazing husband and father someday.
I get that girls are not exactly dropping at your feet in high school. This is actually a good thing, I promise. Just be you. Focus on your education, your music and your programming ideas, and the rest will follow. Always remember to be kind to girls that do show you attention. These are girls that see beyond popularity, “coolness” and high school sports culture. They are girls that value intelligence, acceptance, kindness, all of the things that you are.
You mean the world to me. Never be afraid to come to me when you are sad, stressed or have made a mistake. Believe me whatever it is, I have done worse. I will always be your biggest fan, and I will always be by your side in support of all that you do.
You are on the right path in life, continue the journey, and enjoy every stop along the way.
Love you always,
Mom