I have a family tradition of writing and reading letters to each family member for holidays, birthdays, and special occasions. The letter might contain encouragement, advice, a blessing, a reflection, or a story.
Occasionally, I have written letters to my entire family (vs. an individual) on my own birthday.
I thought I would share my letter from a recent birthday in hopes that you might find a useful insight…
My Dear Loving Family,
When I was young, 62 meant you retire,
Today at 62, you can still be fire.
Age and aging are not the same,
A youthful mindset is ours to claim.
A life of significance is here to stay,
As long as you give your life away.
Use your God-given gifts to serve one another,
And a meaningful life you will discover.
The way we do anything,
Is the way we do everything.
Don’t sweat the small stuff,
But little things count, sure enough.
When we look for common ground,
Our relationships will be sound.
It’s easy to highlight another’s mistake,
But we grow by giving them grace.
Even when our time is in short ration,
The time is always right to show compassion.
Doing what’s right can be a rarity,
Even when difficult, act with integrity.
We’re blessed with beautiful lives and unique voices,
And opportunities to make so many choices,
But when push comes to shove,
Always, always choose love.
I love you, and I am with you now and always,
Dad
xoxoxoxo