Be Yourself

As I approached my 40th birthday (I'm a man, I'm 40!) I realized it was time for some personal reflection. It dawned on me I may need to make a few life changes; if not for my own sake then for that of my children. I began to see where I had lost a firm grip on my life and needed to re-prioritize what was most important.  Looking for a creative and slightly humorous way to mark my countdown to 40, I began writing my daughters daily notes to capture significant life events which I felt were instrumental to my personal growth. My thought being at some point down the road my children would be able to look at these letters and take away something of value. I shared these love notes publicly and soon found there were others who seemed to enjoy them. So I kept writing. The more I wrote, the more I realized the messages within the notes were just as much for me, as they were for my own children. They reaffirmed my love for them and helped me regain focus on what truly was important in my life. In these notes, I found my truth.  It's the most valuable thing I can give my daughters. 

Be Present

But let me fill you in on one small event that led to these notes becoming a book. On the night of my youngest daughter's 6th birthday, our family went out for a birthday dinner as per our tradition. I happened to be dressed in my Navy uniform at the request of the birthday girl. We had a wonderful time. At the end of the night when I attempted to pay the tab, I was told by the waiter that the dinner had already been paid for and he added, "thank you for your service." I was completely caught off guard. I wanted to thank someone but the waiter refused to tell me who had expressed this gratitude. The act stirred emotions within me as I tried to put the otherwise minor occurrence into perspective. It just meant a great deal to me to have been on the receiving end of such random kindness. I had to express how I felt and how better than to write a letter to the anonymous individual. It was the very least I could do. I thought, I wrote; I felt, and wrote some more. Long story short - the letter went viral and found its way to national news. When people from across the globe reached out to express their feelings about what the letter meant to them I knew I had fallen upon a way in which I could PAY IT FORWARD.

Be Prepared

This epiphany, this moment of clarity, lead me to ask a question - What if a few more people out there might enjoy reading the notes I have written to my daughters? What if some of the events which took place in my life and the subsequent lessons I learned could have meaning to someone else? Maybe I could share some good in the world. And just like that, I had the urge to stop being lazy and actually do something productive and of value. 

Be Purposeful

So, here it is. Love 'em or hate 'em, agree or disagree - a little corner of the world wide web devoted to my take on the universe surrounding me. It is my hope that one day my children will use these notes to navigate through their own life journey. This site is dedicated to the greatest gifts I'll ever know, my children, Basil and Sabine. Life lessons to guide them on their path.

These are Daddy's Love Notes!