Soon You Will Be 18

By R. Cary

Soon you will be 18. I found a picture of you online. Prom, is it? I was able to watch you graduate, a web version. That was my goal, to be reunited with you by your high school graduation. I am a little late, but I am coming. You are going to be 18, a young woman and you need me to guide you, as you enter your journey, a journey you cannot yet imagine. 

Soon you will learn what caused our separation. It was a little bit of x, like you mom said, and the courts. But it was also a whole bunch of y. And in this life, y’s matter. My why is simple. I care about the world. Deeply. This is what I most wish to teach you. Your why. Your purpose. To live your life bearing your heart. I want to teach you that exposing yourself as you lean into life is the only path forward. I know you have experienced pain in your life. That is life. It hurts. 

But this pain, our separation. Nine years ago, to the month. The days, the nights, the weeks, the months, the years; I felt them with you. I also felt, even with our space as our barrier, your growth, your willingness to overcome, your desire to love this world. This willingness, to continue, to persevere, is your greatest gift to the world. It is also your greatest adversary. 

Giving yourself comes at a cost. A cost you will soon understand. A cost I will teach you to live with. Like all parents try and do, I will teach you how not to make my mistakes. I will teach you that family always comes first. This is the lesson I learned. The lesson you have worn. Now, it is time for our learning to become the strength of our relationship. 

Your journey is just beginning. In just a few weeks, I will be coming. I want you to be prepared for this. A new story, a new narrative, a new way forward. There is a new you waiting to be discovered and it will be my greatest privilege to be a part of this journey of yours. See you soon. 

Love,

Dad

End

Soon You Will Be 18

By R. Cary

Copyright 2023