January 2, 2008

Dear Sarah:

 It feels strange writing to you. I usually talk to you quite a bit, but at times I feel like you need to know how I’m doing and what is on my mind. I look forward to the New Year, and I’m sure you are also. It’s really only two short months of winter before the weather starts to change and you will be getting ready for the summer, friends, tanning, and the beach. I will be speaking to your guidance counselor at school within the next week to help you get organized for the SAT’s which will be coming up in April. You are so smart. I could never have taken the classes you are taking when I was in high school. I guess you got your brains from mom’s side of the family. I admire your intelligence and the diligent attitude you have when it comes down to your school work. I can’t help you academically but, I want you to know that I will always be by your side, helping you with the challenges that you will face as you grow older and enter your senior year in high school.

You will be driving in the next few months, something that I just can’t believe. 17 years goes by pretty fast. I can manage change better now than I could when I was younger I have to accept the fact you are growing physically and mentally and changing right before my eyes. I look forward to you and I working on life together as a team. I never really had friends when I was younger, but that’s okay. The guys and gals I hung around with in high school were fleeting acquaintances, I now think of you my best friend.

I love you.

Dad

Letters to my daughter is a series of letters that I will be writing to my daughters, Sarah and Grace during the year 2008. These letters will express my feelings for my children, and will be read by them. They will offer advice at times, but the real reason why I am writing them is just to let my daughters know how much I love them. Too often a father doesn’t say enough to his children. My feeling is if you can’t say it, write it. Your children will have them for a lifetime. These letters will be published during the first week of every month. One will be written to Sarah and the other to Grace. Please don’t read them for content. Read them and decide what you need to write to your own children, and then take the time to do it.