A Dad’s Message to A Daughter, No Context.

I remember growing up. By the age of 14, I’d pretty much exhausted my parents’ capacity for empathy.

finger-paint by Emmy.

My oldest daughter is 14.

Hey,

Just letting you know… I had an extremely stressful morning that started at 10 o’clock last night when I woke up to three missed calls and a bunch of text messages from my work people who were absolutely losing their shit.

Trucks breaking down, one lady’s brother is dying, and I couldn’t sleep because I had bad dreams about work all night.

I was up at 6 this morning on the phone with Jay and trying to get it all figured out.

I’m stressing. I’m sad, and anxious… and I’m really craving a cigarette.

BUT

I am not smoking anything and I’m thinking about how proud I am of you for making a good decision.

Also, a reminder that hard work sucks.

School sucks too. And it’s hard to comprehend at 14. Believe me, I remember. But if you can just find a way to make school more appealing over the next few years, and go to college like Uncle Pat and Aunt Kate, most of the rest of your life will be much easier than it has been this far.