Guess What I Found?
My dear son,
I am in my ninth grade English class right now, and my teacher told my class to imagine ourselves as the parents of a child and to write a letter to them. I just know that God will allow me to have a boy so I decided to write to you, Jacob Coulter. She asked us to give them advice about what we think they'll need to learn about the world around them. I decided to talk to you as a freshman in the hopes of you understanding this as much as I did. I may not be the best at evaluating the world, but I want you to know that I'm speaking from my heart and this is what I've learned so far.
You have to be honest if you want to achieve anything in life. Life is what you make of it. By being honest, you'll be the one taking all the shortcuts. Don't take anything from the less fortunate and obey the law.
Love your fellow people, but don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. Love them all equally and you'll have friends for life. Be there for your friends because they'll be there for you if they are the good kind. Lean on them as much as you can, for that is the only way relationships can get stronger.
For heaven's sake, have the courage to speak out, but be graceful and take the blame when you're wrong (unlike your mother). Grow up to talk against drugs and violence. Please, please, be intelligent enough to know the difference between right and wrong, but if you don't, listen with an open mind and closed mouth (don't worry - we'll both learn that one in time).
Have a great sense of humor, but not so much that you laugh at serious issues. Be serious when the time comes, but always be ready to cheer someone up with a silly joke or face. Don't be down in the dumps when you're sad. Everyone deserves a good cry every now and then, but be able to bring yourself out of it. When the need comes for a cry for anyone else, have a soft shoulder and a patient ear.
Love and fear God. Be at peace with what He made and feel blessed that He remembered to bring you into this world.
Those are really the big ones, Jacob, but I do have a few more beliefs that I would like you to live by. Basically, I want you to do your own thing and not bother with what others think, unless it's rather important. I'll trust you to know the difference. Learn that rules were made to be broken, but you'll have to face the consequences that may come. Love and respect women because you wouldn't be here if you didn't. Never eat anyone's meat loaf except your mother's (and maybe not even that - I flunked snickerdoodles in Home Economics). Please believe that all people really are good inside, and that maybe they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Last, but definitely not least, when you get to that stage when you're ready to be a father, remember that the child is just going through a phase and will come out of it sooner or later (and please remind me of that, too. I will sometimes forget).
I love you very much,
your mother
(Blaine Cook, 2nd hour)
I am in my ninth grade English class right now, and my teacher told my class to imagine ourselves as the parents of a child and to write a letter to them. I just know that God will allow me to have a boy so I decided to write to you, Jacob Coulter. She asked us to give them advice about what we think they'll need to learn about the world around them. I decided to talk to you as a freshman in the hopes of you understanding this as much as I did. I may not be the best at evaluating the world, but I want you to know that I'm speaking from my heart and this is what I've learned so far.
You have to be honest if you want to achieve anything in life. Life is what you make of it. By being honest, you'll be the one taking all the shortcuts. Don't take anything from the less fortunate and obey the law.
Love your fellow people, but don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. Love them all equally and you'll have friends for life. Be there for your friends because they'll be there for you if they are the good kind. Lean on them as much as you can, for that is the only way relationships can get stronger.
For heaven's sake, have the courage to speak out, but be graceful and take the blame when you're wrong (unlike your mother). Grow up to talk against drugs and violence. Please, please, be intelligent enough to know the difference between right and wrong, but if you don't, listen with an open mind and closed mouth (don't worry - we'll both learn that one in time).
Have a great sense of humor, but not so much that you laugh at serious issues. Be serious when the time comes, but always be ready to cheer someone up with a silly joke or face. Don't be down in the dumps when you're sad. Everyone deserves a good cry every now and then, but be able to bring yourself out of it. When the need comes for a cry for anyone else, have a soft shoulder and a patient ear.
Love and fear God. Be at peace with what He made and feel blessed that He remembered to bring you into this world.
Those are really the big ones, Jacob, but I do have a few more beliefs that I would like you to live by. Basically, I want you to do your own thing and not bother with what others think, unless it's rather important. I'll trust you to know the difference. Learn that rules were made to be broken, but you'll have to face the consequences that may come. Love and respect women because you wouldn't be here if you didn't. Never eat anyone's meat loaf except your mother's (and maybe not even that - I flunked snickerdoodles in Home Economics). Please believe that all people really are good inside, and that maybe they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Last, but definitely not least, when you get to that stage when you're ready to be a father, remember that the child is just going through a phase and will come out of it sooner or later (and please remind me of that, too. I will sometimes forget).
I love you very much,
your mother
(Blaine Cook, 2nd hour)
Then (1994)
With BF Terri Lutes nee Larrison - who is pregnant right now!
With BF Terri Lutes nee Larrison - who is pregnant right now!
Now (2011)
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Becky