Johan,
You are turning ten years old. There are so many milestones of childhood but a whole decade old is a
big deal, kiddo.
10 years ago, I had just become a lawyer. I was in my mid-20s. I had just bought our first house. I had no gray hair. I had family and friends that I loved, but my
main priority was me.
Then you came and everything changed. Now, the first thing I am is your mom. Lawyer, wife, daughter, friend, too, but Johan’s
mom first. You are the first person I think of every
morning, the last person I think of before I fall asleep. When you are at school, I wonder what you are
doing- if you’re doing experiments with the turquoise stone in Geology or
practicing a solo for the school musical.
I know that you are being a kindhearted friend and a hard worker because
I hear about that from your teachers and the other adults I have enlisted to
spy on you (I kid. They are parent volunteers who just happen to tell me how
great you are.)
The last 10 years have brought me so much
happiness seeing you grow. It is so
strange to see you do things that I have never done- You play chess. You fold origami. You create obstacle courses. You do pull-ups on the crown molding. You are a talented soccer goalie. You
impress me so much and I will always be your loudest cheerleader (even if that
is horribly embarrassing.)
I also love when you show interest in things we can tackle
together. You ran for student council
this year and I was thrilled to help you with your campaign. Even though someone else won, your
speech writing and public speaking were phenomenal. Your commitment to your school community is
commendable. As we have been reminded
plenty over the last year, the best candidate does not always win. Keep your passion for public service. You are a bold and talented leader and any
community you are in is better for having you.
This year Andrew adopted you. And Judge Piper said that better be the only
time he sees you in Juvenile Court! You inquired if it would be ok to go back there if you were a lawyer
representing a client. Of course you asked that.
Before the
adoption, we talked through what it means.
It means more love and more family.
It’s always the math of addition, not subtraction. Your papa is your papa and nothing can change
that. You are an Alcantara and a Lund, but
mostly a Johan, and nothing can change that.
Andrew has been a dad to you for
several years and it was great to celebrate it becoming official. I love the bond you two share- building
Legos, discussing superheroes and teasing me when I get “intense,” as you
say. I am happiest when it is the 3 of
us, being our goofy little family.
By the time another 10 years passes, you will be 20. You often ask where I think you will go to
college. The truth is, we can’t know
that now and we don’t need to know it now.
The where isn’t the most important part of the path. The most important part of the path is a
lifetime commitment to learning and to making the world better as
you go.
I love your love for
travel and am proud to have instilled it in you. A few weeks ago, you told me that you even
like waiting at the airports because there are so many people with so many
difference stories going so many places.
This year you wrote RESIST on the sand in St. Maarten. You played at a Parisian playground with
French children. You bonded with a
Turkish restraunteur in London over your mutual disdain for ketchup on steak.
Wherever you go, you connect with people.
You listen and you share. Keep
being open to truly knowing others. Our
common humanity is so much more powerful than anything that divides us. You practice this tenet every day
and you make me hopeful for the world.
Johan, the last 10 years have been the best decade of my life. No matter the turns and twists that life has
given us, we have faced them with optimism and love. I am so proud to be your mom and I look
forward to all the things every day, every year, every decade with you as my
son.
Love,
Mom
