A Father’s Blessing to My Son, Cyrus, on His 10th Birthday

I am sharing a letter today that I wrote for my son, Cyrus. He is turning ten years old.

I wanted to give him something that time cannot rub out. Toys break. Clothes grow small. But honest words stay with us for a very long time.

If you are a parent, maybe these words will help you speak to your own children. If you are not a parent, I hope this quietly reminds you of the people in your own life. We all need to hear the truth about who we are. We all need to be reminded of why we are here.

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Dear Cyrus,

Ten years ago, you came into my world. You changed everything.

Before you were born, I was looking for direction. I was searching for what mattered. When I held you for the first time, I found a reason to grow up. You brought purpose into my life. You brought a quiet kind of peace.

I know I am not a perfect father. I am still learning every day. I have made mistakes. I have been tired. I have fallen short. Thank you for your patience with me. Thank you for loving me even when I was still trying to figure things out.

I could give you many things today. But things do not build a life. Truth does. So I want to give you a blessing instead.

I bless your feet as you walk your own path. I bless your hands as you learn to work and create. I bless your heart when you have to make hard choices. You do not have to take the easy road. You have the strength inside you to do what is right, even when it is hard.

You were made to handle hard things. You were built to build good things.

Some people think being strong means being loud or rough. It is not. Real strength brings peace into the room. Real strength makes other people feel safe. Real strength is gentle.

I promise to always see you for who you are. I promise to stay close to you as you grow up. You will never have to figure everything out all by yourself.

Here are a few simple things I want you to carry with you every day.

Take care of your body and your mind. Eat good food. Get your rest. Move every day. Read good books. Write down what you think.

Protect your peace. The world can get very noisy. You do not have to agree with everything you hear. Keep asking honest questions.

When you are afraid, bring your fears to me. You do not have to hide them. You do not have to act brave when you are hurting. I will always listen.

Look after your mother. Look after your family. We are stronger when we take care of each other.

Do not just read these words and put them in a drawer. Walk with them. Let them help you when you are not sure what to do next.

And remember this simple truth. You do not need to do big things to make me proud. You have made me proud since the day you were born. Just by being who you are.

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Writing this letter taught me something about purpose.

We often think purpose is a giant title. We think it is a grand plan, a big job, or a huge goal far away in the future. We spend years looking for it in distant places.

I do not think that anymore.

Purpose is usually right in front of us. It is found in the people we live with. It is found in the way we treat the person sitting across from us today. It is found in small acts of care that no one else ever sees.

We need to speak truth and love to our people right now. If we do not tell them who they are, the world will try to guess for them. The world will try to define their worth.

If you are feeling lost today, look around you. Who is near you right now? Who needs a kind word, a quiet blessing, or just a bit of your time?

You do not need to hurry. You can build slowly. You can love deeply. You can just keep going.