My Funny Valentine

Dear Violet,

Your first Valentine’s Day, and my first in a long time with a Valentine other than your mommy. When I tried to think about what to write about, I just kept coming back to how lucky – how very fortunate – I am to have the love of your mom, and how I hope you can find a love like we have. So, how about each Valentine’s Day, I’ll give you some advice on love? This year’s advice: find someone who inspires you to be a better person. Your mom does that for me – she is strong in ways I am not; she stands up for what she believes in and isn’t afraid to tell people what she thinks. That’s how I want to be, and seeing her in action pushes me to be more like her – more like the person I want to be. More importantly, your mom is compassionate when it comes to people who need help. When most people would turn away or say, “That person should help themselves out of the mess they’re in,” your mom steps in. I want to be more like that, too.

Since you are your mother’s daughter, you’ll probably already be strong in those ways, but for the ways that you’re not, go out and find someone who will inspire you to become more like the person you want to be. Your mom does that for me, and it’s one of the many, many reasons I love her. And nothing would make me happier than for you to find a love that’s good and true.

Happy Valentine’s Day,

Daddy

86 days old