A word to my (future) children

To whom it may concern,

I hope that I can be the best dad you could ever dream of.

I hope I can be there when you win your first soccer game.

I hope I can be there when you lose your first tooth.

I hope that when you score your first goal you tell me all about it, and that you won't stop talking about it for the next month.

I hope that the anxiety from losing a tooth won't stop you from letting me pull it out,

that I can be there when you win an award at the science fair, even if it's just for participating,

that I can be there when you lose your first soccer game, I've been there, I know how it feels.

I hope that when I come home from work I hear your feet running from wherever you are to come give me a big hug.

I hope that you get mad at me when I tell you to finish your dinner so you can get big and strong, so that you can become what I never could.

I want to be in the passenger seat when you drive around the church parking lot for the first time.

I hope that I never have to take work home so that I can hang out with you, instead of the computer.

I hope you tell me when I'm embarrassing you, so I can continue doing whatever I'm doing.

I hope you get into trouble while you still can, adulthood won't be much fun.

I hope you tell me when you've won your first love,

I hope you tell me when you've lost your first love too.

I hope that when you talk about me to your friends it's only about how "awesome" I am,

even though I'm sure it won't always be that way,

because after all, I'll know what's best for you won't I?

On second thought I probably won't even know what's best for me,

so please just bear with me,

I'll probably still be trying to find myself.

But I won't let that stop me from being the "bestest dad" I've always hoped I could be.

scars

I know a lot of different people.

Some are outgoing.

Others are quiet and reserved.

Some are quiet and reserved because they are scared,

they are living in fear,

constant uncontrolled fear.

Fear of what could happen if they spoke out,

if they did something different,

if they wore something different,

if they acted different,

if they even though different.

Maybe them being SCARED is a result of being SCARRED.

Maybe something happened to them when they did something different once,

just once,

and now they shudder at the slightest thought of it.

I've known plenty of people with scars,

in fact some of the most beautiful people i've ever known were covered in them.

From gunshots, to nut shots

broken backs, to broken hearts

torn acl's, to torn apart families

we've all had our fair share of hard times

but it's what we do with these experiences that decide what type of person we become.

We like to hide these scars, we see them as weaknesses,

like it tells people that we have been vulnerable,

that maybe we made a dumb choice.

But maybe instead we should wear them with pride,

showing people that "yeah, I ventured into the unknown once, I tried something new, I was vulnerable and I paid for it, but I LIVED"

I lived

I lived

I lived

Lets all try to be a little less afraid of what we have become.

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Some people are programmed.

Wake up

go to school

do homework

but every so often there will be a glitch in the system

a spark of sorts

something different

something that makes them realize that THEY ARE ALIVE

and then they slowly fade back into their routine.

They have a hard time recognizing that life is more than just a 4.0

more than their BYU acceptance letter

more than the car they drive

more than the shoes they wear

more than followers, likes and comments

more than everything they were PROGRAMMED to be

life is about making a difference

touching lives

relationships with people not phones

being spontaneous

lasting memories not 24 hour snapchat stories

Dates not DM's

leaving only footprints

taking only experiences

loving and being loved

pursuing your passion

time spent with your mom instead of under the knight.

crying

dreaming

falling in love,

and having your heart broken.

they don't know how to properly appreciate a spark when they see one

so next time you see someone who has been programmed,

try to put a spark in their life, 

you never know what they'll do with it.

After all, sparks are what got our fire burning.

Potluck poetry, a poem made using lyrics

Hey there,                                                                (Hey there Delilah, Plain White T's)
I was wondering,                                                     (Hello, Adele)
do you ever feel like                                                (Firework, Katy Perry)
going home                                                              (Hold on we're going home, Drake)
like
they'll never love you                                              (Like I can, Sam Smith)
but in
the moment                                                              (Lose Yourself, Eminem)
What you gone do? Lift your head up and keep moving, or let the paranoia haunt you                                                                                           (I, Kendrick Lamar)
We must                                                                   (We must be killers, Mikky Ekko)
Stay positive                                                            (Stay positive, The Streets)
Because                                                                   (Because, John Lennon)
being                                                                        (Almost like Being in love, Frank Sinatra)
different                                                                   (I'm Different, 2 chainz)
is
Just a part of life                                                      (Just a part of life, Jason Young Band)