I have so many wishes for you little one. But you will make your own wishes. So today I ask these things for you.
May you grow in grace and truth, in wisdom and in love.
May you have a humble, teachable spirit and a compassionate heart.
May you be blessed with common sense, good humor and fun, and a love of life.
You’ll need patience and a forgiving spirit too, especially being the little brother.
But above all these things the most we can hope for, is for you to be your own true self.
To take all the gifts that you were born with and make them marvels of beauty and ingenuity and astonishment.
You are so new to this, and for now you are content with such a little world, discovering the air, the light and the blur of faces.
But everyday expands your universe and I promise to share your joy.
I promise to get down on my knees and examine the ants in the dirt;
I promise to find the amazement in a shaft of sunlight, in a bird, in a fish, and a coloured puddle.
I promise to see the humour when you apply oodles of mud and paint on your freshly dressed little body.
I promise to understand your determined opposition to the order of things in general, for ever doing the wrong thing, at the wrong time, in the wrong place, and in the wrong way…because it isn’t wrong at all, it’s just your way.
And as you grow older, I promise that no biting, stinging word of mine, no inadvertent word of bitterness or sarcasm, jealousy or malice, will poison or diminish the joyous, loving, laughing gift I have in you.

At least, I promise to try.

I promise to always be here when you need me, as long as you need me, as comfort, refuge, breathing space, and as a non-judgmental ear.
I promise to care for you, and protect you from harm until you are grown, and then I promise I will let you fly free.

But loving you - I will do all my life.