Bad Man Dead

Harper,

As I imagine (and hope) that you will read this as an adult and maybe share with your own children, I think it is important to not only document the milestones of your own life but also those moments in history that will no doubt shape the world you live in.

Late last night as your mother and I were watching TV, your mom who was checking Facebook on her phone (you may have to look those things up) let out an audible gasp and informed me that Osama Bin Laden had been killed. I have no doubt that his name, like Hitler's, will forever be associated with the worst sort of evil and that you will study his terrible deeds and our country's dark moments and great triumphs in your history classes.

I think the only reason I mention it is that as we watched the 24 news cycle cover his death today I often stared at you sitting in a state of blissful ignorance only getting upset at an oncoming poop. Many months ago your mother and I talked about whether it was right to bring a child into this world. A world where such an evil man could exist and where there was so much hurt (wars in Afghanistan and Iraq), devastation (tsunami's in Japan and tornados in Alabama), and political turmoil (don't even know where to begin). But as I stare into your precious, uncorrupted eyes I know that I am responsible for leaving a world to you that is the best I could have made it, and that your mother and I are responsible for raising you in such a way that your moral core is free from evil and judgement of others.

There will be more bad men in the future. There will be more wars and terrible natural devastation. You will see things that will make you inextricably sad, but as you will learn from your DeDe as you grow up, there is much more hope and beautiful things to live for and revel in.

You have the power to create the kind of world you want to live in.

Your mother and I created the world we want to live in.

A world with you in it.