My letter to Joshua

Dear Josh,

My first born.  My prodigy progeny.  My Kunta Kinte.  Carry on-er (with some help from your cousin Sammy) of the Greene family name.  Keeper of the crest, if we had a crest.  With great power, comes great responsibility.  So, I just wanted to share some words of wisdom to guide you on your way.

Always shave with the grain of your future beard.  Cut your losses and let your winners run - never double up.  Don't wear white after labor day, unless you want to.  Never order pizza in a Chinese restaurant - but you knew that.  And don't walk through screen doors - you'll strain yourself.

Enough of the wisdom.  Because the truth is, that you're an amazing, super-intelligent, handsome and charming boy.  I couldn't be more proud of you.  From the moment you made your entrance into the world, eyes wide, taking it all in, wondering what all of the hullaballoo was about, watching how your mind works has been thrilling.  You absorb everything and know more than any 10 year old should know.  But there's so much more to learn.  You're very intense, often going through your obsessive phases.  Relax and enjoy.  Think a lot.  Figure out your moral compass and stay true to it.  Learn what you love so that you may love what you do.

I've loved that, through hard work and lots of education, I was fortunate (very) to be able to stay home and watch you and your sister grow up.  You've had a very special life so far - material things, fantastic vacations, nice homes in nice locations, your sister and your dogs.  I hope you can learn to appreciate these things because you've got it better than 99% of all the other kids out there.

 I know that being a stay at home Dad may not have set the best example for you, because someday too soon, you'll have to leave the homestead and make your own way.  We ride you hard on your homework and not as hard as we should on your chores (when I was your age, I was mowing the front and back), because we need to instill a work ethic on you somehow.  And if you think being a kid is hard, try being an adult.  The more I know about things, the less I know.

More wisdom:  always be nice and look after your sister.  Someday, she's going to have cute girlfriends that you'll want to date.  And date a lot - that's part of experiencing life and living.  You'll learn what truly makes you happy.  And that's your goal to be happy.  That's what it all comes down to.

Watching you grow up to be the sweet and smart young man that you are makes me happy.  More than words can express.

I love you son,

Dad

p.s.  And Cubby, your dog, is still a pup and sometimes hard to handle, even biting you at times.  But someday, when you're a grown-up, you may realize he was the best friend you didn't even know you had.