Some essays are written for a general audience. Others are written for one person.
Over the years I have written a series of letters for my daughters Julia and Elizabeth at different stages of their lives. Some were written before they were born. Others marked birthdays, milestones, or important transitions. Together they reflect what I have hoped to pass on—not simply advice, but a way of thinking about family, education, work, character, resilience, and the long arc of a meaningful life. They are missives of love sent freely and to last.
If these essays have a common theme, it is this: a parent’s greatest gift is not certainty, but an attempt to share wisdom honestly while recognizing that every child must ultimately find her own path.
I hope these letters become something my daughters will someday read again as adults – and perhaps one day share with their own children.
- “Dear Unborn Julia,” – Written before my first child was born, this deeply personal letter captures the hopes, fears, and dreams of a father awaiting the arrival of his daughter. Reflecting on family, love, responsibility, and the life lessons he hopes to pass on, it is a meditation on parenthood and the enduring bond between father and child.
- Third Letter to My Daughter – Written while we were waiting for Elizabeth’s arrival and imagining the life ahead.
- “Welcome, Elizabeth Anne!” – She arrives!
- “Second Birthday Letter to EA” – She becomes a toddler and my reflections.
- Dear Elizabeth Anne at Four Years of Age – Reflections on childhood wonder and the remarkable person she was already becoming.
- Happy Fifth Birthday, Daughter Julia! – Looking back on the first five years of fatherhood.
- “Eschew the digital opium.” – A benediction to my Daughters
- “Dear Elizabeth,” – A father reflects on the hopes he carries for his youngest daughter as she grows into adulthood. This letter explores character, resilience, kindness, and the enduring values that matter far more than achievement. It is a personal meditation on parenting, love, and the lifelong bond between a father and daughter.
- Daddies and Their Daughters: The Middle Years – Reflecting on the growing independence and need for privacy as Julia reached middle school.
- Struggle and Growth: Letter to My Daughter as She Starts High School – Advice for my older daughter as she prepares to start high school.
- Why We Send You to School: An Open Letter to My Eldest Daughter – On education, curiosity, discipline, and learning for life rather than grades.
- My Youngest Daughter: What is Best About Her – An extemporaneous letter written in a coffee shop.
- “Tears and Tears and Tears: My Overtired, Overwrought Daughter” – I write about a night my daughter is crying and crying and crying.
- Letter to My Daughter in Her Sophomore Year: The Path, the Obstacle, the Way – Thoughts on resilience, purpose, and meeting life’s challenges with courage.
- On Raising Daughters – Reflections on the privilege and responsibility of raising two remarkable young women.
- “Bite Your Cheek Until it Bleeds and Say Nothing” – My “go to” mode of being a father.
- My Oldest Daughter Turns 16-Years Old – Writing about older daughter blossoming into a young adult nearing college, dating, and adulthood.
- “Happy 17th Birthday, Beloved Daughter!” – Julia turns seventeen and I reflect.
- ““Mushin” – A Legacy to My Daughter” – Whether on the playing field or the classroom, daughters need to learn to focus and achieve under pressure.
- “Who is She?” and “It Will Be What It Will Be” – Almost grown up older daughter contemplates college and the future.
- “Dear Daughters,” – A daughter’s greatest inheritance is often not comfort, but courage. This heart-felt reflection explores how a father’s example of resilience, integrity, and quiet strength can shape a daughter’s confidence for life. It’s a tribute to family, character, and the enduring bond between fathers and daughters.