To my son, There’s so much I hope for you but mostly I hope you stay I hope you stay soft even when the world tells you to toughen up I hope you cry when something hurts And laugh when something doesn’t make sense And never apologise for either. I hope you stay kind even when people aren’t That your heart stays open even when life tries to close it I hope you grow into a man who knows that strength and gentleness can live in the same body That you can be brave and still hurt I hope you love someone one day the way you love me now, with full arms and loud joy Like you’re sure I’m the best thing that’s ever happened to you I hope she knows what she has because you, You were born knowing how to love deeply. I just hope the world never teaches you to hold back I hope you stay curious That you keep asking questions and noticing little things The sky, the way people feel, the way your favorite song sounds on a good day I hope you stay proud of who you are And never shrink to fit into someone else’s version of how a man should be. And if you ever forget who you are Come back to me I’ll remind you You were good long before you were grown You were loved long before you knew what to call it And no matter how big you get No matter how far you go You’ll always be my greatest hope And my favorite reason to believe in everything good.