We all believe in something, even when we don't.

You can also claim not to believe in God or anything else for that matter like I once did. I refused to believe, not out of my own volition of a creature separate from creation, but more like a toddler whose pants I still can't get back on. I wanted nothing to do with a world or God who is older than time, older than me, and decided to throw my tantrum for an exhausted audience. I knew better than everyone because I was twenty-one and had read several biographies on Gloria Steinem. Just hand me over that Nobel prize, please. Again, another aspersion to the God who must sit back and burn a million calories from laughing at his children in the way you do when you love someone so much despite the fact that they're pantless.

I'm sure there are more things to say here like a list of all my personal pet peeves (people standing too close to me at the gym, people standing too close in general, people being "polite" at a four-way stop and waving me to go when they obviously got there way before me, culottes...), but this isn't the time or the place. I'm sure the number of times I've thrown up my hands in traffic or stared down a woman who only thinks she's wearing shorts has already brought my personal aversions to your attention.

Instead, I guess I'll leave you with this: I only know one thing that's worked in my life and that is to fear God. All else will waste your time and the hair on your head. The fear of the Lord brings you closer to God and gives you enough sense to let your fellow man off the hook. It humbles the stupid behind all of your actions and the ways we keep believing we're the stars in our own shows. We don't have a show. We have this time and space God has granted us the privilege in which to live.

You'll mess up. You'll cut your hair and make weird, fermented tea in your kitchen. You'll wear terrible clothes and pretend you know better than everyone else, because if you don't, then what do you have left?

You'll have your God who loves you, and you'll have me who always had the hardest time keeping you clothed when you were two.

But that's okay, bub, because I've seen our future, and well, there's really not much to complain about.

Love always,

Mom