Dear Ben,

I wanted to open with a Space Balls quote, but I did that last year and it would have felt a little like Space Balls 2: The Search For More Money. I could easily fill this page with all the fun times we have together. I love sharing hobbies with you, watching movies with you (I still think I won the quote off contest!), and generally hanging out together. Instead of all that, however, I wanted to talk about how proud I am of all the hard work you put in to getting ready for your black belt test this year. Take a moment to think back to what it is like to start out as a new white belt. How intimidating it is to watch those with higher ranks. How hard it was to learn those first few Kempos, and then how much harder it was to learn the next set. You not only worked hard for years to train your body and mind for this task, but you showed real growth and persistence in the months leading up to the test. You really stepped up your practicing, even on days when you really didn't want to practice any more. I was so proud of how you took ownership of your training in order to achieve your goal. That is what being a black belt is all about.

You are getting older now, and part of growing up is maturing into a good person as well as deciding who you want to be. How will you define yourself? What of yourself will you share with others? How will you contribute to the community? To family? To your own happiness? Now, don't worry. You have a lifetime to work on answering these questions. But now is the time when you will start to explore your options and make decisions that will help determine the roadblocks you will face on the way to your goals. I hope you don't mind me making a suggestion or two...

First, consciously practice empathy. It is one of the most important skills one can possess. Get to know those closest to you and what makes them happy and what makes them sad. Make a decision to listen, and then act in order to make someone else's life better for a moment. You will, in turn, benefit as well.

Second, pick a few of your passions and schedule time to focus on them. Research. Practice. Fail, and fail again. Learn. Don't be afraid to jump in, and don't be afraid to move on if your interests change. Explore your world.

In order to have time for these things, you are going to have to make decisions on how to spend your time. You spend a lot of time watching others do things. It can be fun. You can learn from others. But make sure that you spend even more time doing the things yourself.

You have accomplished so much already in your short time in this world. You have excelled in school, are becoming quite a good soccer player, play kick ass drums, and have achieved your black belt in karate (to name a few). I love your boundless energy and optimism. I look forward to spending a long time getting to know the person that you are, and the person that you will be. I know he is an amazing individual.

Love always,

Daddy