30 in 30: Year 0

September 18, 1988:

Dear Little One,

It's sort of a quiet, if somber day otherwise.  The top headline across the US is that 200 are suspected dead or missing in Mexico after Hurricane Gilbert made landfall.  In Myanmar, pro-democratic uprisings, known as the 8-8-88 Uprising, are quelled by State Law and Order Restoration Council when thousands, mainly monks and students, are killed in a coup.  Oh, and it's day two of the Summer Olympics in Seoul.

But we're not really super concerned about the outside world at the moment.  It's about 10:30-11 AM in the morning, CST.  The place:  a hospital in Minneapolis, MN.  It's snowing pretty badly outside, but, I mean, that's Minnesota, where you have 2 seasons:  winter and construction.  And, something of pretty cool importance is happening now:

You are born.  Happy Birthday, you!  Welcome to the world!

I know.  Stuff is kind of confusing at the moment.  Here you were, cozy comfy in your amniotic fluid world, and suddenly it's bright and loud, and you're actually not exactly breathing for the first few minutes because your umbilical cord was wrapped around your neck.  Hey - maybe that's why your favorite color is going to be blue for so many years (just kidding, it's because you wanted to mack on this guy named Justin for like... ever, and blue was his absolute favorite color, but we'll get to him later.)  

I hate to tell you this, but it's not going to get significantly easier, baby.  For a good long bit, you will not know the difference between your fingers and a boob.  Your main mode of communication is going to be screaming and crying (spoilers:  that... kind of will be a theme in your life, even past infancy).  People are going to be confused when you don't want your bottle (you... may or may not be lactose intolerant?  Who knows!)  

But really - you're ok. Your mother, hard-ass and saint that she is, is holding you now.  In all your red-facedness and pruniness, she is looking down on you, and all she can think is, "God must be an artist."

Life is often confusing, loud, and bright.  You're going to face a lot of things that will seem like a cake walk, and just as many things that seem like the worst thing in the world.  But it's all going to work out, one way or another.  Your mom is going to be there, supporting you in her own way, even if it doesn't always seem like she's around.  And that other female creature?  That's your really cool sister.  She's 9 years older than you, so like... listen to what she has to say.  And your dad... Well.  He's going to be a fun one to work with.  But, know that he loves you, too.

I'm sorry for every bad thing that is going to happen to you that you cannot control.  I celebrate every success that you will achieve.  But understand that your greatest strength will be to find purpose in adversity.

Best of luck.

Hearts and kisses,
You