Letter to Wyatt

To my son, Wyatt — you don’t have to stay here.

On March 4th you turned 2 and today on March 18th we celebrate one year in our new city together. And as I think about the past year, I can’t help but think that one day you’ll look at your dad and me and tell us that you’re moving to the “big city.”

You’ll tell us that where we live is boring and small and that you are ready for bigger and better things.

And this is my promise to you:

I promise to help you write your resume and pack up your things. I promise to stock your first 600 sq ft apartment with organic groceries from Whole Foods and buy you “work clothes.”

I won’t criticize the traffic, obsess over the cleanliness of your new “home” or blow up your phone every hour wondering how you’re adjusting.

I will only say, “you can always come home.” My stepdad said this to me when I left to attend a college none of my peers went to. And, it was one of the best decisions of my life.

Instead, I’ll congratulate you on your bravery and your determination. I’ll remind myself how much of me you really are. You got my hair and my long eyelashes, my square face, and my relentlessness. But, I’ll do something I’m not good at which is NOT say what’s really on my mind and in my heart.

Because the truth is, even though we moved you to the place we believed was the right place for you, the world will be yours for the choosing. It will be up to you to decide what feels like home. Not where you were raised, or where your friends live, but where feels best to you. Trust me, your dad and I won’t be far away from anywhere you go. But, the decision will be 100% yours.

You don’t have to stay here. But today as I heard you squeal with joy over a pelican diving for fish and watched you close your eyes when the breeze blew in your face and water poured down your cheeks, I wanted to tell you why we brought you here.

When you were born my entire world changed. Things that used to matter didn’t matter anymore. I felt the clock of life begin ticking. You changed so much every day. One day you were a pink blob with a ton of white hair and the next you had teeth and an attitude and you doubled our grocery bill. I could feel life move at a pace I had never felt before. And your dad and I knew, it was time to move. We thought about so many different places to take you. The world is a big place and we wanted (and still want) you to see the BEST of it. But we also wanted you to be surrounded by our friends and family that started loving you before you were even born, and so for us, Charleston, South Carolina was the place. And, we think you love it here. You don’t play with the depth-finder as much on the boat and you’re starting to notice the waves. You don’t care about plastic toys on the beach, you collect shells. You’re doing all the things we thought you would do, if we did the right thing for you. And I believe in my heart of hearts that we did.

But, no matter where you go after here, we will support you. We will encourage you, love you and take your friends out to dinner.

And maybe, after 10 years kicking it in the big city you’ll tell me that you’re moving for a job, a girl, or because a Memorial Day surprise baby rocked your world. Whatever the case, I’ll be there to move you. And love you.