04/09/2026
Twelve years ago, I began a tradition that has quietly become one of the most meaningful parts of my life.
Each year, on my children’s birthdays, I write them an email instead of giving a card. In it, I capture who they are in that moment...their personalities, their growth, the adventures we’ve shared, their strengths, their struggles, and the hopes I hold for them. These messages are little time capsules of their lives, of our lives together.
On their 18th birthday, I’ll hand them the key to it all, their email address and password, so they can open a window into their childhood through my eyes, just as they step out to begin their lives on their own.
Today, my youngest turns nine. As I sit down to write his ninth letter, I’m overwhelmed in the most beautiful way. Gratitude for this past year, awe at the person he is becoming, joy in the memories we’ve made, and of course, an awareness of all the unknowns that lie ahead.
I know my children will always have home videos to look back on, but those only tell part of the story. They don’t hold the quiet conversations, the small moments, and the details that shape a life, as these letters do.
This tradition is something I hold close to my heart. No matter how full or busy life becomes, it is a promise I will always keep. Because every day, in one way or another, we are reminded just how fleeting this all is and how deeply it deserves to be remembered.
