Grayson,

You’re only 7 weeks old and watching you grow is truly amazing to me. Seeing you develop and begin interacting if even on a small level, has been a blessing. I want to make sure you have every opportunity to grow in a thriving environment. Truth is, I want you to have more than I ever did and I will do everything I can to make that a reality.

Last week dad lost his job. The first thing I thought of after getting the call of doom was how to make sure this situation doesn’t impact you in any way. You’re too little to know about the economy or understand the meaning of a 10% state unemployment rate but as you grow up, you will know that it’s not a good thing to be out of work in these times.

Your mom and I were hoping that my job would be around and we could find a way to tighten things up so that you could have your mom home with you as you grew. But life has a way of throwing curve balls and this is one of them. Your mom and I had a moment of devastation when we found out, but you come first and we will do whatever it takes to make sure you are taken care of.

Dad has done a great job over the years professionally and though I have all the skills needed and a list of people that would recommend me, when there are only 100 jobs in the area and 1200 people looking for work, the numbers are against me.

But this letter isn’t for a pity party. I wanted to leave something for you to read about what’s going on with us and let this be a reminder of what happens all throughout life. No matter how great things are going, there are going to be disappointments both small and large. The important thing to remember is that none of this is permanent and “This too shall pass“.

As you grow up, becoming a teenager and young adult you will be faced with challenges and disappointments. It would be foolish for me to tell you not to feel sad, angry, or frustrated at the hard situations you find yourself in. Those bad feelings are natural and you should feel them. Whatever you do though, do not let these feelings control you or your actions. Don’t allow yourself to feel like the world is against you. It never is. Use the emotions to push you forward in a positive way and move past them onto bigger and better things.

If there is one thing as your father I could teach you and insure you adopt from my personality it would be this. No matter how bad things get in life, focus on the positive. Even when you find yourself in a storm of bad times, there is a butterfly if you look for it. It’s hard to see it fluttering around but it’s there and you have to look for it.

Maybe it’s not a butterfly, it could be anything. Maybe something as simple as a sunny day or a chance to experience something new. You’ll always have something to be grateful in life for and it’s important to hold those things close, especially in times like this. Today Grayson, you are my butterfly and I know “this too shall pass”.

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