Dear Hannah,

my joy comes from

understanding why i was born

and what i need

to do before i die

and that even when

things are shaky

and folk are real "fakey"

i know who my

folk are

listen ...

Love,

Daddy

(Author of "A Long Walk … Towards Care, Concern, Respect, and Advocacy")

Dear Hannah,

I love your mother (Keisha).

For our 10th anniversary, I told the world.

Love,

Daddy

(Author of "A Long Walk … Towards Care, Concern, Respect, and Advocacy")

Dear Hannah,

we can both reach

the finish line

by helping each other

train and pace

to run our own race

but to run it right

we need to both pack light

to push some major freight

and pull our own weight

so hang in there when it

doesn't go your way

hang in there when you have

to say "bye bye" sometimes

to people, places, habits,

and ideas that hinder

more than they help

sometimes you have to

see it through

... and sometimes you have

to see through it ...

Love,

Daddy

(Author of "A Long Walk … Towards Care, Concern, Respect, and Advocacy")

Dear Hannah,

I was assigned a role in this life before I was born ...

... but was then cast (thrown forcefully) into a cast (the actors in a play) according to caste ("social status or position conferred by a system based on class") ...

... hear me now ...

... my "truth" is "living in a daily lie" ...

... but the show must go on ...

Love,

Daddy

(Author of "A Long Walk … Towards Care, Concern, Respect, and Advocacy")

Dear Hannah,

Stick to the Master Plan (#MasterPlan) - even when current events make it feel like the world is out of control.

Love,

Daddy

(Author of "A Long Walk … Towards Care, Concern, Respect, and Advocacy")

Dear Hannah,

The road to reconciliation starts with ...

realization (of both the might and the plight),

respect (both spiritual essence and natural function),

reassurance (of commitment to the corrective plan and path - don't ask for trust ... EARN IT),

and REAL relationship (dealing with each other as EQUALS).

We've got a long way to go ...

... because we keep trying to start at the finish line ...

... and often label voices of reason as voices of treason ...

... but 'tis the season ...

... to answer folly ...

... defeat conceit ...

... then rinse and repeat.

We are not done yet.

Love,

Daddy

(Author of "A Long Walk … Towards Care, Concern, Respect, and Advocacy")

Dear Hannah,

Mistakes are great teachers because they grab your undivided attention.

Trees are great teachers, too.

You see all their majesty and might ... and their mistakes.

You see that ... even in their might (right?) ... they can still fall ... timber(!).

Love,

Daddy

(Author of "A Long Walk … Towards Care, Concern, Respect, and Advocacy")

Dear Hannah,

Keep your peace ...

... through doubt and uncertainty

... through headache

... through heartache

Love,

Daddy

(Author of "A Long Walk … Towards Care, Concern, Respect, and Advocacy")