Life Epiphanies

Boys,

I recently read this article about 9-epiphanies one can have of their lives.  It was pretty powerful stuff. 
One of them, that life unfolds only in moments, is an image that is so clear in my mind it is as if it happened yesterday.
My realization came when I was working at an environmental education center in Navasota, Texas.  It was a very rough time for me and I was having all sorts of difficulties.  I was sitting on a bench, brooding about the upcoming day, and full of worry about something that I no longer remember.  It was a warm humid day, as most days in East Texas are, and was close to fall.  Some of the leaves were changing color and were beginning to fall, yellow was the predominant color but out of the corner of my eye I caught a small flash of red.  I immediately shifted my focus to the red leaf and watched as it drifted toward the ground.  It was backed first by blue sky, then green foliage, and finally the soft brown of the pine needles that carpeted the ground.  As it lay there in stark contrast to it's surroundings I was struck that I was the only person on earth to witness that leaf's descent from the tree.  There would never be another like it anywhere.  No other leaf would fall the same way, have the same brilliant red, be dappled by the sun in the same place and none would ever touch the ground and settle in the same position as this.  It seemed magical, I was there to witness the incredible event of a single leaf fluttering to the ground.  It was then, as I stared at the red leaf, that I realized that life happens only in moments, sometimes so brief that you scarcely recognize them.  It is recognizing these moments and holding on to them that gives meaning to my life.  The day both of you were born are moments where my life unfolded and they are days I will never forget.  This is what it means to live "in the moment", be present, recognize what is going on around you and never take it for granted.


Dad

New Beginings

Boys,
I have the greatest hopes for you.  I want you both to be more successful than me and to have the lives that you want.  I'll be there to lead you to make the best decisions you can, and to give you advice and help you when your in a rut.  Nothing in life is going to be easy and I'm sure there will be plenty of obstacles and suffering.  But remember suffering is pain that hasn't found it's meaning.


Sam,
All of the previous letters were written for Ethan, but they will apply to you too.  We are so happy and excited to have you in our lives!  When I started this blog I had no idea that you were coming.  I'll try and write special letters just for you and some just for Ethan, but mainly they will be for the both of you.



Ethan,
So your little brother was born back in October and you have done a fantastic job of being a big brother so far.  You were very excited for him to arrive but Mom and I didn't know if the baby was going to be a boy or a girl.  You had your heart set on a little sister, but you seem very happy that it turned out to be a little brother.