7-year-old Ben, I would like to share that everything is and will be alright… It’s true, and you will have everything you need to be a happy kid, a well-adjusted young man, and a pretty cool adult. It will take many challenges and obstacles, but your life will be grand. As I write this letter to you now, I am writing this, and you and I are in the very best time of our life so far… There will be so many good as well as challenging times ahead…
You have been given some gifts that you are just now starting to see the fruits of, and you will be a great fighter and competitor for many years. This gift will give you the foundation and courage to accomplish anything you put your focus and attention on. Remember that you create HUGE results on EVERYTHING YOU put your attention and energy on. Good things and bad things in life, so be aware. I want you also to know that it is not your responsibility to keep your family together. The adults in your life have made choices for themselves, and you are along for the ride. You are not the “fixer.” Your just a kid. Know this 7-year-old Ben; no one will ever really leave you. I’m serious. You will have love and be loved by so many people. Be kind to your Brother. He will be your Brother forever. You and Ian are very different, and you do things at different speeds. His life has challenges too. Let Ian be Ian, and you be 7-year-old Ben.
As you grow older and become a young man, you will have a life challenge that will shape your future for the rest of every day you are here on this planet! This challenge will be one of if not the most significant opportunities for you. Use it for greatness and fule, not as an anchor. It will be your most significant power source if you use it that way… One more thing, ask your parents to get you a mountain bike… Don’t wait until you are an adult to start enjoying mountain biking. You’re going to be good at it!
I want you to know I am proud of you. I love you, and I wish I could be right there with you as you navigate the days ahead of you. However, the reality is that I can not be with you. But you are not alone, and again you will never be alone. Remember the word tenacious. You are tenacious. So go and continue to be determined. I love you.
