Subject: Paul Harvey writes...
To all my friends whom I cherish...
These things I wish for each of you
By Paul Harvey
Paul Harvey writes:
We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we
made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better. I'd
really like for them to know about hand-me down clothes and
homemade ice cream and leftover meatloaf sandwiches. I
really would. I hope you learn humility by being
humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated. I
hope you learn to make your bed and mow the lawn and wash
the car. And I nobody gives you a brand new car when you
are sixteen.
It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies
born and your old dog put to sleep. I hope you get a black
eye fighting for something you believe in.
I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger
brother. And it's all right if you have to draw a line
down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl
under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you
let him. When you want to see a movie and your little
brother wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him.
I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends
and that you live in a town where you can do it safely. On
rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't
ask your 'driver' to drop you two blocks away so you
won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom. If
you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to
make on instead of buying one.
I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books. When
you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add
and subtract in your head. I hope you get teased by your
friends when you have your first crush on a girl, and when
you talk back to your mother that you learn what Ivory soap
tastes like.
May you skin your knee climbing a mountain,burn your hand
on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole. I
don't
care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it.
And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you
realize he is not your friend. I sure hope you make time to
sit on a porch with your Grandpa and go fishing with your
Uncle. May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the
holidays.
I hope your Mother punishes you when you throw a baseball
through a neighbor's window and that she hugs you and
kisses
you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of
your hand.
These things I wish for you - tough times and
disappointment, hard work and happiness.
To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.
Written with a pen.
