Family
“I did not arrive with any right to tell you anything, and I knew that. So I turned up to things and fixed what needed fixing and waited to be asked.”
“I made every mistake with money that a man can make when I was younger. You have made none of them and you have never once said so to my face.”
“This Christmas you might be working while the rest of us open presents. We will save you a plate and a seat, and we will toast the nurse in the family.”
“The house is louder for three days when you visit and too quiet afterward. Your mother and I do not talk about that part. We both just go to bed early.”
“You spent years getting ready for the world, and now it is your turn. Go out there and show everyone what I have known all along.”
“This Christmas I wish you rest, good food and people who make you laugh. I wish you a new year that is even kinder to you than you hope.”
“People keep asking whether I worry about what the world is going to be like for you. I have met you. I worry a good deal more about what the world is in for when you arrive.”
“Always keep me in your heart, for you are always in mine. I'm sorry for the pain I've caused. Please forgive me. You are one of the most beautiful chapters in my life, and I cherish you always.”
“I watched you move your tassel today and tried very hard not to cry in public. I did not manage it, and I am not the least bit sorry.”
“If you are on shift this Christmas, we will celebrate whenever you get home. The day on the calendar matters less than having you at the table.”
“You have given me so many reasons to be proud of who you've become. The proudest moment for me is telling others that you're my daughter. You shine like the brightest star, and I hope you believe in yourself as much as I believe in you.”
“You held this family together through things I only know as stories. And you told them to me so that I would know exactly where I came from.”
“Your house was the one place I never had to knock. And you were the one person always pleased to see me walk in.”
“Mom stirs the pan the way you do. Last week I caught myself doing it too. Nobody wrote it down and nobody had to. Some things just come from you.”
“I do not say it often enough, so I am writing it down where you can keep it. You are kind, you are brave, and you are funnier than I will ever be.”
“I do not know where you got all that patience, because it was not from me. Your students are lucky, and so is your old dad, who still needs help with his phone.”
“As you say 'I do' today, know that my heart walks with you and holds you even when my arms cannot. I hope you believe in yourself as much as I believe in you. May your marriage be filled with endless love, laughter, and beautiful memories.”
“There will be days that test you and days that feel too heavy to face on your own. Remember how far you have come, how deeply you are loved, and how many believe in you.”
“Everyone will ask what you are doing next, and you do not have to know yet. You have already shown me you can do hard things and do them well.”
“For all the prayers I ever prayed, you are truly the answer. Have faith that you will never lose. You either win or learn. Aim for the skies. I hope you believe in yourself as much as I believe in you.”
“I know I ask too many questions about the car and the tires and the route. It is not that I think you cannot manage. It is the only way I know how to say it.”
“You are the one who remembers the birthdays and makes sure somebody calls. He would tell you he had it in hand. We both know perfectly well who actually does.”
“You take care of so many people that I sometimes wonder who takes care of you. So please eat a real meal, get some sleep, and let someone spoil you a little.”
“I am marrying your son, and I have had years now to work out where he got it. The patience, the steadiness and the way he will not let a room stay awkward.”