It Starts Here: A Letter For My Soon-To-Be-Born Son

Well here I am my dear son,

       Although we haven’t met formally, I know you can hear me and sense me whenever we are in the same room, or I speak to you directly each time I come close to your lovely mother’s belly. The awaiting time for your arrival has been exciting indeed, and it’s just a matter of days now before you finally take your very first breath. 

For what it’s worth, I must admit that I have already been day-dreaming about all the places I’d like to take you to, along with the many things I’d like to teach you. Though I have a feeling you will end up teaching me much more than I could ever teach you. 

I write to you on this fine white piece of paper to let you know that I have a feeling you are a very special being. Whether it was your choice or not, you have been entrusted to our care and guidance, and I can assure you that you’ll be well taken care of as you embark on the life-long adventure that patiently awaits you. 

Of all the things I have experienced and accomplished thus far in my two and a half decades of life, the news of your arrival have no doubt been the most eye-opening and profound revelation I have come across with. 

In regards to your name, I can only hope that you are content with the choice we’ve made for you. I rest assured that in time you will come to identify with the power that lies within its three letters, along with the magical medium that it represents. 

I would also like to communicate to you the fact that the world you will soon be joining is a marvelous place. To be sure, however, you will come to find out on your own terms that in spite of the extraordinary things you will witness, there is indeed a great deal of suffering that you will come to encounter throughout. What’s more, there are numerous challenges that we currently face as a species, which has gone above and beyond its way to alter the balance of nature and the planet as a whole. Indeed, many of such problems will become part of your generation... and all those which will follow. Nevertheless, I want you to know that in spite of all of these issues, there is a magical and inexhaustible amount of well-being and wonder in the world, and that the way your story will happen to unfold will depend largely on the choices and the attitude which you decide to take.  

There are many mistakes and obstacles that you will make and face, some of which both your mother and I would no doubt attempt to minimize and help you with. Others, however, will have to be faced by no one else but yourself... as it should be. 

For my part, I will do my best to show you the "door". The rest will depend on you. In time, I have no doubt, you will find your own path to follow. Be sure to know that I will never attempt to tell you which path it is you should follow. That is a decision that is yours and yours alone. Regardless of what you may choose, you can be sure that both your mother and I will back you up with it. Whatever you do, make sure that is you who chooses your destiny. Never wait for life to happen to you. Go after it, follow it wherever it leads you. Let the rest follow. 

In other words, never let your dreams just be dreams. 

That said, I pledge to do my best in helping you attain one of the most useful tools anyone can be given - the ability to communicate in different languages. Fortunately for you, your parents can teach you how to speak English, Spanish, and Japanese fluently. If you do your part and take these three languages to heart, there is nothing you won’t be able to accomplish in the world. Mark my words. 

In addition, I pledge to show you as much of the world as possible in your early years. I really don’t believe there’s anything that can substitute the power of direct contact experience and traveling - of seeing the world through your own eyes. Of all the things that I’ve learned in my young life, this is undoubtedly one of my biggest realizations. Thus, this above all, shall be one of the main priorities when it comes to how you’ll be raised. 

Your grandparents did their best in providing me with opportunities to see, to feel, to smell, and taste a great deal of the world, and for that I will forever be grateful. My perspective and worldview is what it is today largely thanks to that. It’s time for me to return the favor by passing it forward. For every new year of your life, your mother and I will take you to a different part of the world. By the time you reach your teenage years, you will have seen as much or more of the world than I have seen up to this point. 

One day, once you reach a certain age, I hope you’ll be able to carry on and continue traveling on your own; thus, taking the time to taste the fullness of life. And when you do, dear son, I hope you do so boldly. I hope you’ll go to places that astound you! I hope you experience the world for all its worth, and get to know some of the many magnificent people that fill it. 

In short, I hope you feel the real connection that exists between all our fellow human beings and every other sentient beings with which we share this world. Thus, driving you to care for all those issues that are bigger than yourself, along with the powerful role that you alone can play in solving them. 

Suffice to say that I very much look forward to finally meet you and thus begin this new chapter of our lives together. In time, you will find, that your choice of parents and place of birth was an extraordinary way to begin your journey. 

Never lose sight of what truly matters. 


Remember that whatever you sow, you will eventually reap. 


Sooner or later, your life will flash before your eyes, make sure it’s worth watching.

Welcome to the world buddy, rest assured you have a friend in me. 

Much love, 

                     - Dad

PS - Here’s some wise advice for you. Enjoy the journey bud; it starts here. :)

Oh, the Places You’ll Go! 

                     - By Dr. Seuss

Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You’re off to Great Places!

You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself

any direction you choose. 

You’re on your own. And you know what you know.

And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go. 

You’ll look up and down streets. Look ‘em over with care.

About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”

With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,

you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any

you’ll want to go down.

In that case, of course, 

you’ll head straight out of town.

It’s opener there

in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen

and frequently do

to people as brainy

and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen, 

don’t worry. Don’t stew.

Just go right along. 

You’ll start happening too. 

OH! THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! 

You’ll be on your way up!

You’ll be seeing great sights!

You’ll join the high fliers

who soar to high heights.

You wont’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.

You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.

Wherever you fly, you’ll be the best of the best.

Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t.

Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so

but, sadly, it’s true

that Bang-ups

and Hang-ups

can happen to you.

You can get all hung up

in a prickle-ly perch.

And your gang will fly on.

You’ll be left in a Lurch.

You’ll come down from the Lurch

with an unpleasant bump.

And the chances are, then, 

that you’ll be in a Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump,

you’re not in for much fun.

Un-slumping yourself

is not easily done. 

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.

Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked.

A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!

Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?

How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...

or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?

Or go around back and sneak in from behind?

Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, 

for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused

that you’ll start in to race

down long wriggled roads at a break-necking pace

and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, 

headed, I fear, toward a most useless place. 

                                                               The Waiting Place...

...for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go

or a bus to come, or a place to go

or the mail to come, or the rain to go

or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow

or waiting around for a YES or No

or waiting for their hair to grow.

Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite

or waiting for wind to fly a kite

or waiting around for Friday night

or waiting, perhaps, for the Uncle Jack

or a pot of boil, or a Better Break

or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants

or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.

Everyone is just waiting.

NO!

That’s not for you!

Somehow you’ll escape

all that waiting and staying.

You’ll find the bright places

where Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping,

once more you’ll ride high!

Ready for anything under the sky.

Ready because you’re that kind of a guy! 

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done!

There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.

And the magical things you can do with that ball

will make you the winning-est winner of all.

Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be,

with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don’t.

Because, sometimes, they won’t.

I’m afraid that some times

you’ll play lonely games too.

Games you can’t win

‘cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!

Whether you like it or not, 

Alone will be something

you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you are alone, there’s a very good chance

you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.

There are some, down the road between hitcher and yon,

that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go

thought the weather be foul.

On you will go 

though your enemies prowl.

On you will go

though the Hakken-Kraks howl.

Onward up many

a frightening creek,

though your arms may get sore

and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike.

And I know you’ll hike far

and face up to your problems

whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course,

as you already know.

You’ll get mixed up

with many strange birds as you go.

So be sure when you step.

Step with care and great tact

and remember that Life’s

a Great Balancing Act.

Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.

And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?

Yes! You will, indeed!

(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So...

be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray

or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea,

you’re off to Great Places!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So... get on your way!

NOTE: Photos taken by my lovely and talented 

friend, Lindsay Naito. 

To see more photos visit her website here.