SWEET SIXTEEN

This past week Nicholas turned sixteen. Sixteen. Let that sink in. My first born is now 16. 

In the time that he has been on this earth, Nicholas has changed so much. However, one thing remains constant. Nicholas is the sweetest person I know who constantly challenges me to be better and kinder and to think outside of my narrow worldview. Perhaps this is a gift that only the young possess, or perhaps it is a special type of person- of any age- who possesses that gift. I, for one, do not see Nicholas losing this way of being anytime soon.

When I think about Nicholas, I think about the many sustained passions he has cultivated over the years. First, it was an encyclopedic knowledge of animals. By that, I do not just mean the ability to identify an animal at a zoo or in a book. Rather, I mean the command of information related to that animal's habitat, its predators, and its place on the endangered species list! 

From there, Nicholas became and still is an expert of geography. He can name nearly any country on a map and its capital. He can also distinguish many people's national origins simply by looking at their name. Quite good skills to have! Perhaps it is this sense of inquiry that has made Nicholas so fond of traveling. With him, we have visited: Canada, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, England, and France. Who knows where we will be headed together next?

Finally, one cannot think about Nicholas without thinking about two of his greatest passions: drawing and sports. For hours or end, Nicholas draws in his room - generally screen shots from sports broadcasting shows he has captured from his computer or Ipad. These are beautiful recreations of sportscasters plying their trade, and there is a fondness in these drawing that is almost reverential. It is no surprise, that Nicholas has said that his current  professional interest is to be a sports journalist! Early this spring, he had a chance to meet Adam Schefter, an ESPN sports reporter and U of M alum, on a fundraiser for the Rogel Cancer Center. Nicholas even had the boldness to let Adam know that if they ever needed a soccer reporter that he was ready! 

As I watch Nicholas continue to grow, I wish two things for him: 1)Always follow your passion, no matter how long the odds seem or how competitive a field might be. I know this boy well enough to know that his curiosity, his devotion, and his perseverance are very special and it is those who care as much as he does about his passions who are able to get their feet in the door and then walk through to the other side. 2)Do not let the world bring you down or change you. Life is incredibly challenging, and it is easy to become jaded or cynical. The way you see the world is incredibly special and true. I hope you never lose that.

I love you son!