Home is wherever I'm with you

Hi Salem,

There's been so much going on lately that I had to take a minute to write to you (who is reading this far in the future. I hope it's a beautiful place there and then). I'm growing professionally and finding better ways to improve myself in the academic world. I hope you think that's cool someday. For a long time, your dad was a teacher who traveled around the world teaching people English. However, he went a different path for a short while and it wasn't until earlier this year that he found his passion again.

I feel that this is settled now and I can officially begin to live in the present a bit more. Sometimes I struggle with that. I watch you change and grow every day, and I know that time is just flying by like leaves blowing in the wind, but I am here and this is now and there is nothing else that I am more certain of. When I am conscious of "when" I am, then I can become more conscious of "where" I am, and I know exactly where I am when I'm with you. I'm home.

Your mother and I used to travel extensively. We've both spent time abroad and your father used to live in several different countries. We've often wondered what it would be like when you came around, and I was very shocked by what happened. You see, the moment you were born I felt this sudden rebirth in my own life. It seemed like nothing before that moment had ever even mattered. Just 'poof!', a cloud in the distance. My travels were like stories that I read in books, somehow not truly my own experiences. My real story began the day you came into this world, and now it feels like I am seeing everything for the first time.

So, because of this we travel slowly, and we are starting from the beginning. We go on adventures that are in our home state, or even stay at hotels with pools where you run wildly down the oddly-carpeted hallways. It's actually tons of fun, and I love watching you see things through your new and beautiful eyes. If everything goes well, I'd love to take you out west next year and show you how vastly dynamic this country can be.

Salem, I'm just really happy and grateful to be your dad. Thank you for being my little boy. I love these years with you and even though I know life is just an adventure, it has no sense of home without you. You are my everything and I hope one day you realize just how much you've done for me.

Your first travel buddy,

Dad

Bobcat!

Hi Salem,

I have no idea where this started, but for some reason we have this thing in our house where one person calls 'bobcat!' and everyone else yells back 'bobcat!' in return. I don't know who came up with it, but it's super cute when you call us the three bobcats. This might not last forever, so I had to write it down.

Your dad loves you so much

T-Rex

Good morning, Salem I found a little bit of time to write before leaving on a flight to Seattle today. It's crazy how free time is such a luxury these day, but even as it becomes available to me, my thoughts immediately turn to my beautiful son. I miss you already, and I won't see you for a few days. It's so much fun being your dad. 

Anyway, I was thinking about something this morning, and I had to make sure that I wrote it down. I guess I wanted you to know that as a dad I've learned a lot of lessons, but one has stuck out in my mind the most. Before you become a dad you have this belief that you will have everything figured out by the time you have kids. You just assume that everything will have resolved itself somehow, but I have learned that this might be impossible in even a lifetime. There are simply things I'll never understand, and it scares me to think that I might fail at my responsibility to protect you from the scary things. 

I'm looking at your dinosaur toys next to the screen and it reminds me of how brave you are. You were once afraid of T-Rex, but it didn't last long at all. In fact, you quickly became excited to face your fears with that terrible lizard. Now you guys are friends, and you play together all the time. 

I'm trying to do the same in my life, but the moment you came into this world I became aware of how many fears I've never faced before. I really just wanted to let you know that my journey seems to have just begun, and it's with gratitude I am sharing this new journey with you. I'll try my best to face those terrible lizards in my life, but I know I'll be fine because I have a really good son to inspire and teach me.

My Hobbit

Happy Halloween Salem!

So, just two short days ago you got to see your first real Halloween. Last year was a bit slow because of COVID and all that, but this year was truly something special. I loved watching your face light up to see all the costumes, especially the dinosaurs, as they came passing by our house. We went trick-or-treating too and it was really fun!

I wanted to take a minute from this day (any given Wednesday) and just say 'hi' to you. You're growing so fast, my guy. I can't even keep track of how quickly you're learning to speak in full sentences. I thought I'd be able to grab hold of these things and document all of it, but you're faster than I can keep up with! I'm so proud of you, my sweet boy. You really make this journey awesome.

Salem, your dad used to wander all around the world. When I look back on this now it seems like a story, but this is a story that I would like to share with you. There are certain things I'm good at and others which I am not, but one thing I have learned well is how to travel. The world is an endlessly interesting place, and to my mom (your grandmother) it was like a big unknown place that kept her worried about me day and night. I feel that now, but I promise I'll be supportive if you ever feel the need to travel very far away. Even though the thought of being away from you pains my heart, I know that one day you'll need to find you're own way through this world, and I want you to know you will always have my love and support to take with you wherever you may go.

Sometimes I think back on my life and realize that I've been a lot of different people. This guy who you get to know now is, in many ways, very different than a person he used to be. I have learned a lot, but it seems like the more I learn, the more I realize how much more there is to take in from this worldly experience called life. I mean, I can't lie to you.. I found exactly what I was looking for in this life the moment you were born. I knew deep inside myself that this was the happiest I would ever feel, and to this day I have never changed that level of happiness one bit. I wake up every day excited to be part of your world, and every night before we fall asleep I whisper to myself a few words of thanks. I hope you learn that gratitude one day, and I hope you never forget where it comes from. 

I love you dude,

Dad