Letter to My 2020 Graduate

The graduation invitations are rolling in now. And we parents of the class of 2020 are crossing our fingers and toes with the hopes of actually having the parties. Am I sad that our son's senior year was hijacked by a pandemic? Undeniably. But here's the truth: I was going to be a sappy mess anyway. So, with our youngest nearly out of the house, I'd rather focus on the pride and love I feel for the kid. Thus, here's my letter to him on his High School Graduation:

Cole–

When I was pregnant with you, I wondered how it would be possible to love another child as much as I loved your sister. Then you came out, almost exactly on schedule (always so punctual), and I learned how the heart can expand. After your father nearly fainted, and Dr. Markham had to heave your big melon out of my stomach, they placed you in my arms. And I fell in love all over again.

Cute Cole. Head Tilt and All.

From the time you were a baby (even during your crabby, collicky phase), you've been a ray of light in our family – and not just because of your blinding white hair. Superheroes were not merely a childhood fascination. They were, and still are, a philosophy. While I took pause at your fascination with Darth Vader, it never bothered me one bit that you wanted to grow up to be Spiderman or Batman. I knew you would embrace the responsibility of any kind of power. And while you might not swing from rooftop to rooftop saving lives, you certainly understand how to impact others by showing simple kindness to anyone and everyone. I loved it when you called me out on getting unknowingly snippy at the doctor's office, worried I had hurt a nurse's feelings. (I did call back and apologize, much to their surprise and appreciation.)

BFFs in Isolated Celebration

Your zest for people and life is so abundantly clear. With you, everyone and everything is your favorite or the best. Every meal is your favorite, as long as there's no cabbage or strawberries in the recipe. Every movie is regarded as the best of all time in some obscure critic's list on the Internet. And your friends are always, always the best. No matter what happens, they are the best. While we might give you a hard time about your phone, I completely understand why you connect with people. Your bright and empathetic personality makes everyone's day. All 90 streaks of them.

Beyond your great personality, it's such a joy to watch your talent. We have loved watching you excel in soccer and do well in just about any sport, as long as you could sprint! But here's what I love about your attitude toward sports: You love them. You enjoy them. But sports aren't everything to you. You've been a talented artist since you were a toddler. You're articulate and can speak to a crowd at the drop of a hat. And if given a choice between playing soccer or watching a newly-released Marvel movie, I think you'd be genuinely torn.

There are so many more things about you that make me smile:

• Your ability to diffuse me immediately when I'm upset with you. You never get defensive. You just agree. This is both maddening and impressive.
• How you can play Call of Duty until the enemy has been completely annihilated, but you'd never shoot a living thing.
• Your happy whistle, announcing your entrance – even at 1:00 AM in the morning.
• How you tell us more than we want to know because you trust us. You don't even seem to mind a few lectures after your tell-all, parent-flinching stories.
• Your sense of humor and ability to quote movie lines with perfect timing because of the high quality parenting you received as a child.
• How you play with our dog, the cat and your bottle-fed calf.
• How much you respect Jim Halpert.
• Your capacity to eat and eat and eat as if you have a tapeworm, and then say no to ice cream simply because you're not hungry. No one eats ice cream because they're hungry.
• How you cry right along with me during movies. I love this.

I love all of these things and more about you. There's no doubt in my mind you were born to have an amazing impact on anyone and everyone you meet. Your goodness, desire to achieve, and ability to love without judging will take you far in life, bud. 

Wishing you all the joy, peace and success in the world, Cole. And, of course...

May the Force Be With You.

Love,

Mom