Some of what I thought I knew…

I wrote this poem in October 2010 as a reading for my son's Dedication ceremony.

For Jac

We thought we knew adventure…

Skydiving, climbing mountains, living on the other side of the world…

But when we met you, we realized there was no greater adventure than helping you to grow.

We thought we knew pride…

We’ve had pride in our education and in our accomplishments…

But that doesn’t touch how proud we feel of you just for being you. There’s nothing that makes us more proud than being your parents.

We thought we knew entertainment…

We’ve been to epic sports games, unforgettable concerts, inspiring performances…

But those experiences are a fraction of how entertained we are when watching your funny faces and when hearing your adorable sounds.

We thought we cared about making our world better…

We’ve volunteered and raised money for good causes…

But making our world a better place has become a new level of priority because we realize the world is now your world too.

We thought we appreciated our parents…

We’ve thanked them for our lives and for all of their gifts…

But we never understood the infinite extent of their love for us until we felt that same overwhelming love for you.

We thought we had an amazing marriage…

What could be better than finding your best friend and soul mate to share your life with?

But then we had you and realized that your existence deepens our love for each other in a way that we didn’t think possible. There is nothing more powerful than the bonds of our family’s mutual love.

We thought we knew beauty…

We’ve seen some of the most stunning and awe inspiring places in the world…

But the wonders of the world don’t compare to the beauty of your tiny face.

We thought we appreciated life…

We’ve felt both the heights of happiness and the depths of pain from life being taken away…

But it is not until now that we could understand the true miracle of life’s plan. Every up and down in life was ultimately leading us to you.

We thought words were powerful…

Until we tried to find words that could express the extent of our love and devotion to you.