Pssst, kid, over here (an open letter to little people)

I was reading one of those stories in the news the other day that I would have glossed over in the past but now that I'm a parent take on a whole new meaning. You know the ones I'm talking about. A man or woman is killed in some freak accident and as you skim the story you find out he/she had young children at home. Shudder the thought.

It got me to think what would happen if I were to meet with unfortunate design and merge with eternity while my kids were still at a tender age. If one were to ask them years down the road what wisdom they had learned at my knee that helped shepherd them into adulthood, they probably would have to give it a hard think and then come up with such as this: “clean your nails, good god”, “lean over your plate so you don't get crumbs in your lap” and “brush now or else.”

It occurred to me that I almost never tell them anything of consequence. Not that kids learn by being told, of course. But in case they ever learn by reading, I thought I'd collect my collective wisdom and put it in once place so that I would have it all ready in the event of my untimely demise or (more likely) untimely institutionalization or (most likely) our children's ability to swiftly disable the parental controls on the computer and discover my blog. Ergo,

An Open Letter to Little People (mine, specifically)

From where you sit now life may seem fairly simple and straightforward and in many respects it is. But as you lean towards adulthood you'll no doubt try to complicate it, because that's what we all do.

For instance, as you grow up you will have many friends who will all have different ideas of what is required to be adored by others. Because you are human, you will for a time play the game of trying to morph yourself into these different ideals. It is my hope that sooner, rather than later, you will learn that the quality which others most respect and find attractive is authenticity, the irony being that once you discover this you will no longer care much what others think.

Many things will seem wildly important to you at different times in your life. But here's something that really is. Find the one thing in life that makes your heart sing and do it and never stop doing it, even if it makes your father and me weep into our pillows at night. We'll get over it.

A well-paying job is lovely. A home is lovely. But before you chase that kind of stability, get out and see the world. One cannot purchase the perspective of life as viewed from beneath a worn rucksack on a lost bit of track somewhere in the Peruvian Andes.

If you're unsure whether or not you should say it, and...

• you're really angry
• in a business meeting
• have had a few too many
• are talking to an attractive man/woman who's not your significant other
• are in a chat room
• are being evaluated for a raise
• are about to hit reply to all

you probably shouldn't.

  

If you're unsure whether or not you should say it, and...

• you're feeling hurt
• are feeling centered
• are in therapy
• are only at the $5,000 level on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
• are hooked up to a lie detector test
• the man/woman of your dreams is about to walk out the door

you probably should.

Things that are a bad idea:

•  Credit cards for college students
•  Credit cards in general (unless you pay them off every month)
•  Thinking, eh, you're okay to drive
•  Unprotected sex with your boyfriend/girlfriend because my god you love him/her so much and besides, you know it's a safe time of the month
•  Unprotected sex in general
•  Drugs, legal or otherwise, prescription or street, your parents' or yours or anyone else's
•  Owning a firearm (unless you live in the Yukon and need to take down a caribou for your dinner, what the hell are you thinking?)
•  Tattoos that spell things out
•  Martyrdom
•  Whining
•  Playing the victim
•  You get the picture

 Things that are a good idea:

• A degree in the liberal arts (if you really want to go into business get an MBA, but for undergrad go liberal arts; you'll be a better person for it and you will absolutely get a job)
• Condoms (yes, harp harp)
• Being the first to apologize -- contrary to popular belief, it takes a bigger person
• Laughing at yourself
• Turning off the TV and reading. Lots.
• Speaking your truth
• Over and over and over, even when it hurts
• Accountability
• Integrity
• Love over gold
• Anna, take your calcium

And always, always, you are loved.

That should do for now.