Dear [redacted],
I won’t lie; the servers are down, so here I am. Your mother hopes that by the time you are old enough to read these I won’t still be playing “that game”. No promises. Who knows? Maybe they’ll be on their twelfth x-pac and you’ll be just as into it as I am. I really can’t say, but I imagine that amount of ‘game time’ we’re allowed will be a regular discussion. Your mom and I used to play way too much. Like, if we weren’t at work, or eating, we were gaming. And way less healthy. Of course, eventually, this began to cause arguments, mostly related to the amount of time we spent gaming (particularly when your mom was less into it than I.) But I don’t regret them. I think we ended up stronger because of those arguments. I learned a lot about communicating with your mom through those arguments. There’s better ways to learn that skill.
All I’m saying is there’s gotta be a balance. I have a bit of ADD when it comes to finding things that keep me busy and entertained. As I imagine you will. Maybe I’m just easy. Gaming will always be one. I expect that writing and poetry will continue to be in my life. Then there’s the backpacking. The woodworking. The tinkering. You. Not to mention all of the other things I mentioned in my last letter. But I’ve learned that you also have to be aware that you are important to other people around you. Your attention is important to them, just as you will find their attention important to you.
That sort of awareness, mindfulness, is something that I hope you can learn early. I probably have too many expectations. Just know that I want you to know these things to make it easier on you later. I think I am lucky that your mom and I were such good friends while I was learning these things. I guarantee that at some point in your life you will have the experience of realizing that you were just plain wrong. Sometimes, you have to do REALLY dumb things before you come to that realization. Sometimes, it won’t click even then. But hopefully, at some point, before you cause someone pain (usually yourself), it will click for you. I know, I know. I’m being all cryptic. Some stories are best left for later.
I love you [redacted], kick ass, take names, pay attention to your family. And tell us if we’re not. Because sometimes we’ll be dumb too. Old habits die hard.
Love,
Dad
No comments:
Post a Comment