So, why did I make this website anonymous – at least for now?

The answer simple:

It is not my decision to choose if my writing to you is public or private.

I suppose it is public in the sense that it has been published online.

But you would have to search to find it, and posts are not promoted in any way, shape, or form (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest etc.).

Further, nobody’s names are referenced.

So even if it were promoted by social media, “Mom, Dad, H, and K” is about all you have to go on.

Once upon a time, everyone lived in relative privacy.

When I was a child, the only places to read about someone were in a book, a magazine, or the newspaper.

Seems crazy the world has changed so much since then.

But, of course, a private life has become difficult as the internet has grown.

Social media and digital publishing have allowed everyone to instantaneously share their writing, videos, and pictures with the world.

This is fantastic as there are fewer gatekeepers deciding what is “worthy” to publish and what is not.

But with this, we have lost our anonymity.

I have a little bit of judgment in my heart about people that share every intimate detail and picture of their children before their children were ever given a choice.

This website is anonymous because you get to choose what you want to be public.

My advice is to err on the side of anonymity.

It is easy to eventually share more, but hard to put it all back in the bottle once it is out.

I love you.

-Dad

Hey there.

You, yes you.

Hi, sweetheart.

So, you are feeling a little down right now?

Well, I’m sorry to hear that.

Life sure has a lot of ups and downs, doesn’t it?

On top of it, it sometimes seems like the ups are short-lived and the downs do nothing but linger on.

Some people even get into places and situations where they think that some of the downs can be too big to overcome.

I hope you don’t ever feel like that.

But if you ever get close, take heart.

And let me remind you of 3 things.

1. You Have Options

Don’t ever feel like you don’t have options. You do.

You can break up with the boy.

It is possible to go to a different school.

You can find a new friend after the last one broke your heart.

A career can change, you can move to a different state, and getting a bad grade does not have to be your end.

Some tragedies can even border on the unspeakable.

And, even then, it’s possible to pick up the pieces to things that you can’t even imagine possible.

I felt a little bit like the world was coming to an end when I was kicked out of graduate school a long time ago.

I mean, I got three-quarters of the way through an Economics Ph.D. program before I left.

And you know what?

My life took a pivot.

It pivoted, and it went on. That’s the point here.

Whatever problem you are looking at, it’s not the end.

Whatever problem you are dealing with today does not have to define you tomorrow.

2. You Can Come Home

As long as your mom and I are here you also have this. Hear me out.

No matter what, no matter what, you can always come home.

No matter where you are, no matter what you are doing, you have two options.

First, you can come home if you can get home.

Second, if you call me I will come get you, no questions asked.

Do you hear that?

If we are here, you can always come home.

No matter how bad it is, I will help you put it back together.

I will always be here for you.

3. I Love You

Remember that I love you.

Have I ever told you that?

Don’t forget it.

Life is so short and goes by so fast.

Don’t let your mood, your circumstances, or your situation permanently change your perspective.

Even if mom and I are not here, you have an extended family that loves you.

We all love you.

So, I don’t know what you are down about right now, but there is a lot to be hopeful and thankful for.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made by a God of love and grace.

He made you exactly as you are, and he is big enough for all of your obstacles too.

And I am so glad I got to spend the latter part of my life with you.

You have options, you can come home, and you are loved.

You are beautiful and perfect.

Are you reading this right now? Call me.

I’d always love to talk to you.

Or send me a text if you can.

I love you.

-Dad

I hope you grow up to be big and strong and brave and wise.

And I care not one bit that someone else said it to their children first.

Plenty of parents have told their children that they love them.

But that doesn’t stop me from saying it.

There are thousands of unoriginal things worth repeating.

In fact, if you think about it, there are not a lot of things that are original.

So I’ll say it again.

I love you more today than I did yesterday.

And hope you grow up to be big, and strong, and brave, and wise.

I love you.

–Dad