Message in a bottle
It's a tough job being a parent.
You need the Wisdom of Solomon, the stamina of a marathoner, and the deep pockets of a bank.
It's a job I wouldn't trade for the world – although some nights I'd appreciate just a bit more sleep, please?
My parents taught me a lot. Oh, I didn’t recognize it at the time of course. Like most kids, I knew three things for sure: I was invincible; my parent’s didn’t understand; and, when I grew up, I wouldn’t make the mistakes of my parents.
Since then, of course, I’ve learned that I won’t live forever; my parents understood a lot more than I thought and I’m probably making a whole new set of mistakes as a father.
But, I’m not unarmed. Before he died recently, my father gave me a set of values and a few nuggets of wisdom that I’ve already started to pass on to my daughter. And, I know he felt lucky that he had the chance to share his distilled wisdom and expressions of love.
That’s what’s behind a message in a bottle. My friend Dana and I want to give fathers, mothers, grandparents and others a chance to pass on their wisdom, their experience, their love. The first edition is a collection of messages from fathers to their children and will be published in the fall of 2007.
And, you’re invited to participate.
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