To my daughter

As I look at you now, you're so pure, so untouched by the world.  No pessimism, negativity, or bias.  You're not damaged goods, jaded by past experience.  You're not racist, crass, or angry.  You can be anyone, anything.  The world will shape you and try to pull you with the majority, which is a terrifying thought.

To combat against all the negatives and toxins that will hit you along the way, I have a plan.

I promise you that I will show you how a man should treat a woman.  I will date your Mother, no matter how long we're together, and I will show you what a true gentleman looks like.  I will open your door, buy you flowers (just because), hold your hand, tell you that I was thinking about you, listen to what you have to say and look you in the eye when you're saying it.  I will respect you and cherish your Love.  When you say "I can't," I will believe in you, and encourage you to try, because you can do anything.  I will dream up a hundred ways to teach you that you are great and deserving of greatness in return.

No settling, no low-class doesn't know how to treat a lady, no "he's way out of my league," no "well he's a nice guy."  I will teach you to expect the best and to love without fear.  I will show you the power of vulnerability and what happens when you act in spite of fear.

You will also learn that there are two paths through life.  Safety or excitement, security or passion.  I will push you towards the road of passion.  Passion will guide you through the maze of life en route to adventure and freedom.  Life can be full of authentic experiences, absent of regret.  Embrace vulnerability and acting because it feels right, for your Mother and I pledge to build an unwavering compass for you, in you.

Most importantly, we will teach you that friends are life's mortar to hold everything together, but family is the foundation on which you were built.  If and when everything comes crashing down, family will always be there.  They are not to be walked on, neglected, or taken for granted.  They are life's most precious relationships to be cherished and nurtured.  Family will be there on the greatest occasions of your life, all of which will be that much sweeter because they'll be shared with people that truly matter.  Embrace this.  Welcome it.

Above all, we will teach you to pursue a life of perpetual learning.  Never settle.  Strive for new knowledge every day.  Stagnation is the enemy of fulfillment and a life full of consistent growth will reap rewards far greater than their sum.

Grow, love, learn, without hesitation and without fear.