folded wisdom

Best Job In The World

Notes about parenting, feeling proud, and growing up together

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Theo Theo do you know? That summertime is on the go! Fall Fall has come around, leaves in the wind, leaves on the ground. Theo put your jacket on when you go outside! Fall Fall is here my dear, let's go for a ride!

There is an artist who is having a show at a museum that I really like. Would you like to go see it with me one evening? The museum is called The Guggenheim and the Artist's name is Claes Oldenburg. His art is funny (that's why I like it). Also he c

Theo Theo Big (not small) can you tell me how (?) did you get so tall. Did you swallow a giraffe from the zoo? Did you put pants and shoes on a ladder? (and stand up on top) Did you comb your hair straight up to the sky? Did

Could there be something in me that's also inside of you? And likewise could there be something in me that grew up out of you? It could be true - (do you feel it too?) We must be connected somehow. I'm sure we'll figure it out later, but it's a myst

You are my son. I am your dad. Nothing can ever change that. But I do not own you... You are not a "thing." I cannot make you into someone you are not. I can only love you. Whoever you are. I will always love you!

Can you believe it? Our life moves on - hour by hour - day by day - week by week - month by month - year by year. Time goes on and we go with it! Where are we going? Older? Yes. Smarter? I hope so. Happier? I hope so too. Let's have fun and learn a

It was so nice lying in bed and reading together last night. Let's do it again soon.

I have a dream that parents will wake up and look at their children with new eyes. That they will realize how beautiful and fragile is the child's life - how it must be treated gently with love and respect to help it blossom and grow into the most b

Today is Monday. Let's start the week right. Try a little more to have fun. Try a little more to learn. Try a little more to say - "I love you." Oh! And by the way - we'll also try to get a haircut.

I have another dream. I dream that my kids will grow up healthy and happy and have fun doing it. That my two kids will come to realize how lucky they are to have each other - how different they are from each other and how cool each of them are. If t

I know I tell you "I love you" a lot. I know I do. Being a "Dad" makes me the luckiest man in the world!

Good job to get your last month's church reading done. I'm sorry I had to make you like that. Being a dad is not easy sometimes but I tell you... it's the Best Job in the World!! Just because we get upset now and then or we don't always see eye to e

Sometimes we all (me too I know) need to take a step back from our lives and take a good, hard look at ourselves. Are we who we want to be? Do we like what we see? Are we doing the best we can? What do we need to do to be better - to be more like we

Sometimes you have to lose something before you can dig up something else. Your new tooth will be even bigger and better than your old one. Hooray!

There's many things that hurt, that sting our bodies and our feelings. Sometimes parents nudge - try to mold our lives, like kneading fudge into a mold. Is the shape they try to make right for you? Or is it fake? I was a kid, I'm a fa

Theo you're a good kid! Believe that 'cause it's true. Theo you're a smart kid! Believe that 'cause it's true. Theo you're a handsome kid! Believe that 'cause it's true. Theo you're a talented kid! Believe that 'cause it's true. Theo

What can I say about our family? Do we all love each other like crazy? Absolutely!! Do we sometimes treat each other badly? Yes - if I'm honest I'd have to admit that. But (and there's always a "but"), that part comes from anxiety - stress - not the

I'm your Dad!  And my job is to do whatever I can for you, Joanna and your Mom.  Sometimes I get to do what I want that's just for me - but most of the time taking care of my family is what I want to do.  When a man has the chance to

You're a lucky girl to have such good teachers, good friends, a fine school and loving family. A lucky girl! And I'm a lucky man to be your Dad! I love you.

Trust is so important Theo. You need to trust me and I need to trust you. When I tell you I will do something I make every effort to do it. When I ask you to do something I expect you to do it as well. In business we make contracts and sign our name

You have no idea how peaceful it is to sit at the kitchen table with a candle or two burning and a cup of coffee in front of you and a pen in hand ready to write. I love getting up ahead of everyone and having that hour to myself and my thoughts. It

Don't know why I sketched a bridge this morning? I was thinking of you and it just came out. Maybe it's an architecture connection - maybe it's a symbol of a connection to something? Like the bridge between youth and maturity that you are crossing r

When my dad died almost 26 years ago now, my mom had one of those cards printed that say "In loving memory of..." on the back and a quote or picture of a Saint on the front. Well the front she chose had this quote entitled "Take Time" and it's about

It was fun to go up to the Met with you Saturday. I know it was work for you but I was glad that you had the kind of work to do that took you to a place like that. A place filled with the results of all that is good about the human race - all the st

I'm a fortunate man, born to two people who loved each other very much. I was surrounded with brothers and sisters and lots of love and support. Now I'm just trying to do the best job I can by loving the woman I chose (and who chose me) and the two

Seemed so far away (college I mean) so long ago when you were born (born to change my world). Born to be your world. Born to live and discover yourself - others - love - fear - right - wrong. An empty slate at one time (were you ever really "empty"?

I don't know, maybe you weren't expecting a note on Beach Day, but I was walking around the neighborhood with Sunny this morning and noticing all the broken branches (even a whole fallen tree) and I was thinking of you. I think about you a lot. I re

You never stop being a daughter or a son. Even after your parents are gone and you're long on your own. The legacy stays with you. The things they taught you more by their example than their words. You find yourself in the same boat with your new fa

Balancing love, pride, concern and frustration - that's what being a father is. I'm always bouncing back and forth between those feelings (and more), sometimes more than one of them at a time. What to do? How to make love always come out on top? Alw

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