Dear August,
You arrived on a bitter winter's night on New Year's Eve. Your tiny, squishy body and adorable cheeks enraptured us immediately. Love at first sight. I watched as your mom, my daughter, held you close and talked to you. My little girl holding her little boy. People told me becoming a grandparent is a profound experience, but no one can really describe it with any justice. One look at your little face and I was different.
People might say this is a crazy time to come into the world. Distrust, dissension, division, and other 'D' words seem to rule the day (another 'D' word). We seem to be surrounded by hatred and bitterness. Everyday, I hear people ask about the kind of world we are leaving for children. For you. And Keith Richards. People worry about Keith Richards. He is a guitarist for The Rolling Stones and appears to be ageless.
RANDOM FACT: People will tell you that the Stones' cover of "The Harlem Shuffle" is inconsequential, but they are wrong. These are the things I will teach you, little August.
Yes, there is some awfulness in the world, but beauty surrounds us, too. We still have mountains and oceans and beaches. Dogs and cats brings us infinite joy. Literature, art, music, film. People going out of their way to make even the smallest positive impact on another human. We can watch movies on our phones. I have a playlist of '80s music that currently consists of 721 songs. I will introduce it to you soon. Among other things, like:
Monster movies
Looney Tunes cartoons
Green Kool-Aid
Strat-O-Matic Baseball
Pizza and burgers
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
There will be much for you to learn, but those are some of the basics.
But, not just from me. Your grandma will teach you grace, joy, peace, love, loyalty, and the importance of family. I can think of no better role model for you in these matters. You are blessed two sets of grandparents who love you unconditionally and can't wait to watch you grow up. Just do it slowly, though, okay?
This world you've entered has some problems, but the vast majority of them are man-made. That means those problems can be solved. People have told me my whole life that life is not fair. It's hard and harsh and difficult (another 'D' word). But, it doesn't have to be like that. My job will be to show you how it can be wonderful, joyous, fun, and... delightful (see what I did there?)
I can't wait. This is going to be great. Welcome to our world. We're so happy you're here.
Grandpa Jeff (or whatever you will call me)
P.S. You may hear stories about me. They're probably true.
