“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.”
~1 Corinthians 13:1
Son, what and how we feel
Define almost everything we do
And become.
Emotions are messages
From our core that transform
Into thoughts and behaviors.
We are a yarn ball of threaded feelings,
Unravelling into actions.
Everything transforms.
Every action has a base feeling
That elicits a reaction.
For every action there is a reaction,
And for every reaction there is another action,
Not necessarily equal or opposite,
Although sometimes both.
This is the circle of conduct in men.
We cannot be still.
We are constantly feeling
The Earth, the space we inhabit,
The times created by the men around us.
We transform ourselves
With every breath.
Try to exhale more than you inhale.
Offer to the Universe more.
Tell it you were here and gave back.
Exist generously.
Create good times by reacting positively.
Make lists: to-do lists, to-read lists, bucket lists.
Make lists daily.
Journal.
Son, remember that “no” is the biggest boundary.
Try not to think in Yeses or Nos.
Think in hows and how much?
How much effort will it take to build yourself?
You must build yourself like you build friends.
To build, Son, you must learn to trust.
Trust yourself by creating strong habits.
Trust others by finding out their habits.
Play nicely, but not at the expense of falling behind.
Try to win or finish strong by following the winner.
Son, the world these days has gotten smaller.
You might meet men that are far,
Far geographically, in age, or ahead in life,
Men far who you would not meet otherwise.
Listen closely to them.
Listen and learn what you can.
Never stop learning or asking questions.
Let curiosity lead you to build an empire of dreams.
Know exactly what you’re doing when you’re doing it,
By knowing what you’re feeling when you’re feeling it.
Son, feel deeply.
Let yourself feel as deeply as the deepest trench
Of your being allows.
Go to the deepest places and explore.
Excavate where you can.
Be free to explore yourself and become greater.
Son, you are already great at the terrible age of two.
I cannot wait for you to read this one day,
Perhaps when you are twelve.
I hope you read and re-read this
And walk away feeling something new each time,
Acting consequently differently with each new awakening.
Be awake as long as possible on this journey,
And remember, the greatest of these,
Is love.