Dear Son,
Hey you. I would be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about you basically my whole life. From the moment I decided I wanted kids, I always pictured a little boy with a mop of curls toddling around. I’ve had a name picked out for you for years, and I always wondered if you would have my blue eyes and my stubbornness. And if you’re reading this, it means that I got the little boy I always wanted, however far into the future that may be. Now, your dad will handle the sports, the coaching and the driving, because that's what dads do for their sons. But there are a few things that moms can teach their little boys as well.
I don't know when you will be coming into this world, and I don't even know if I’ve met your father yet, but I know that this world is not like it used to be. There are so many rules for boys, like that they have to be macho men and they have to be tough. Know that this is not true. Know that it is okay to be yourself, that it is okay to feel your emotions, and that it is okay to express yourself in any way you wish. If you love singing, sing. If you love art or theater, do that. At the end of the day, you have to live with the choices you make, and it's a lot easier to live with the real you than it is to become someone who you really aren’t.
Know that being kind is exceptionally more important than having the nicest car or the nicest body. Maya Angelou once put it perfectly. She said people would forget what we said and what we did, but they would never forget how we made them feel. I have never heard a truer statement. Girls, or guys for that matter, wont care if you have the nicest things. If you are unkind to them, they wont give you a second look.
On that note, know that it is okay to love whoever you love. I hope that by the time you come along and are figuring out whom you are attracted to, people will be more open and accepting of everything. I hope that if you are attracted to men, you wont feel excluded and that society wont make you feel “wrong” about it. You are who you are, it was how you were born, and know that that is perfectly okay. You don't need to try to change yourself because some people are uncomfortable with who you are. It is none of their business.
Don't be afraid to follow your dreams. If your dream is to photograph the world’s highest mountains, do that. If your dream is to perform on Broadway, do that. As long as you do what you love, then you will always have at least one fan rooting for you. But in doing this, stay humble. If you become famous, if you travel the world, know where it is you came from, where you grew up, and who will always be standing behind you.
And lastly, know that you are loved. Know that I am so incredibly proud of you. Know that you have changed my life in immeasurable ways and that I am so grateful to call you my son.
Love you forever,
Momma
