A good friend of mine from my Atlanta days is putting together a book for his son, and asked a few folks to contribute something for the book's forward. This is what i sent him:
I don't remember exactly how or when i first met your Dad. It wasn't that he was unremarkable, but rather that i was in the midst of falling in love, getting married, and becoming a dad myself -- all of which crowded out most other memories. But i know that we were living in the Atlanta area, working for the same auto insurance company.
And over these years, i have grown in admiration for your Dad, despite my having moved to another state, and seeing him only once or twice a year, when we get together for a fantasy sports draft.
Your Dad has an awesome love for you and your family, an unquenchable love for God, and a passion for friendships. He has a unique and entertaining writing style, demonstrated in his email missives about life and faith. These in-box gems at once challenge us, mystify us, and make us laugh.
I write at times, too, though usually less publically in a journal. I wanted to close with something i wrote when my own son was born. This was written on the first day of the new millenium, when my son Jackson was one day old:
"... it's difficult to imagine your future. Not only what your 21st century world will bring, but also, and more relevantly, your role in it. It's always a Daddy's dream and hope that his kids exceed him, especially his sons. Dreams & hopes...
- To take all the greatness you are already blessed with, by God, and make the best of it.
- To know, appreciate, hone & use your talents.
- To aspire to God-directed greatness.
- To seek and face challenges and never settle for the mundane.
- To be a man of God, learned in His Word and shaped by His love
- To listen well
- To have balance between all that will compete for your attention
- To value integrity & purity
- To make wise choices
- To dream of greatness, for yourself and for the world"
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