Once Upon a Time, You Were Born

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Dear Nephew,

Today you were born. But we'll get to that in a moment.

As a writer, I am fascinated by the presence of weather in setting the scene for a story.

(Let it be known now that I am a writer and I will entertain you with stories as a child, whether or not you want me to. I already have a story that will hold your attention better than pigs and a wolf. Wait and see.)

Anyway. I digress.

Sunshine often illustrates happiness, and rain promises drama. Wind signifies change. You get the point. You should know that it was not Snoopy who first coined the phrase, "It was a dark and stormy night," but rather, it was novelist Edward Bulwer-Lytton.

It was a dark and stormy day today, hours before your birth. A few of your family members huddled in the waiting to room to await news--any news--that you were on your way. When your mother kindly allowed us to spend some time in the labor and delivery room, we listened to your heartbeat and laughed at your hiccups. We watched the monitor like it was the best kind of movie or television show (in reality, it looked like a perpetual view of the Rocky Mountains--they were beautiful). And we watched your dad say goofy things on a video camera.

And now I wonder what your future holds. We already enjoy you more than you can imagine. We will celebrate in your happiness and share in your change. We will ride the waves of drama that life promises. And we will love you for the duration of your life.

You already have a fan club as intense as any musical group or movie star.

As Edward Bulwer-Lytton wrote in Paul Clifford:

"It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents—except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets. . ."

Those words could easily be the beginning to your own autobiography. We anticipate what will fill the pages of your story.

Love you, child.