Be...

Dear Drake-

In 6 days you will start preschool. I will walk you into the building, give you a hug and kiss and watch over my shoulder as you start out on this brand new adventure. I know you will do wonderfully as you are already so excited to start this journey. I also know this will be way harder on me than you. As I think about you starting preschool, I can’t help but think of the things I hope and wish for you as I send you out a few hours a day into the world of school. A world that is exciting and scary and happy and sad. A world that will teach you so much and try and break you down. As I send you off these are the things I want you to know and carry with you, not just while you are in preschool, but through your whole life.

Be Curious

Never be afraid to ask questions. Dig for the answer if you have to. Have a desire to learn. Read books on all different subjects. Be curious about the world around you, there is so much more out there than this little town that we live in. Try new foods.  Explore new places. Ask why things work the way that do.  Always be willing to learn something new and you will be amazed at the things you will find out.

Be Brave

There will be times when you are afraid. There will be times when you don’t want to do something. Be brave. Try new things. Make new friends.  Do scary things once and awhile. Sometimes life is easier when you don’t take risks and when you play it safe-don’t always do that. Some of the greatest gifts and memories in life come from doing things that make us uncomfortable.

Be Kind

Be kind to the kid on the playground that nobody else is nice to. Be kind to your teachers and treat them with respect. Be kind to your brother and love him no matter what. Be kind to animals, especially Skinner, as he has loved you without condition your whole life. Be kind to property and take care of your items. Be kind to us (your mom and dad) as we always have your best interest in mind and love you more than you know. Kindness is a quality that people like and recognize. Being kind will make you a better person and has the ability to change other peoples lives.  Please, always be kind.

Be Yourself

This is the most important thing I can teach you. You are wonderful Drake, absolutely wonderful. You are made the way that God intended you to be and there is not one single other person in this world who is like you. Don’t change for other people, if they don’t like you the way that you are, they are not worth your time. Always let your morals and values be your compass. Stand up for what you believe in and don’t let other people tell you that you are wrong just because you think differently than they do.  I promise you that there will always be so many people who love you just because you are you.

Those are my wishes for you…my prayers for your life.  As you start out as a preschooler those wishes are going to mean very different things to you than they will as you walk into your first day of high school, but being curious and brave and kind and mostly importantly being YOU will carry you far in every aspect of your life.  You already carry every single one of those qualities with you and make me so very proud. I can’t wait to watch you grow. Now go and soar!