This is your year! You graduate from the 8th grade, celebrate another birthday, end another season of soccer, and start high school. Only God knows what will happen in the rest of 2026.
I am proud of who you are and what you’ve accomplished. You’re confident, intelligent, athletic, and handsome. You’ve also finished Mrs. C’s class, earned honor roll status, and attracted a girlfriend.
On another note, lately, it’s been hard to predict your mood. One minute you’re happy and your usual talkative self, and the next you’re sad and nonchalant. Typical teenage hormones have you on a continuous roller coaster of emotions.
I made you come to the gym in honor of our agreement to exercise together at least once a week. Instead of lifting barbells, you held your phone and watched TikTok videos. You despised every minute of the before sunrise workout.
There will be plenty of moments in life when you don’t want to do something. Teachers will assign difficult homework, your mother and I will put demands on you, and coaches will ask you to complete strenuous workouts. However, in each of these instances, you will need to find the willpower to persevere and handle your responsibilities.
You’re becoming a young man. I look at pictures like the one in the header and contemplate where the time went. In four years, you will graduate again and start the next chapter of your life.
I will always do my best to be there for you. You can expect me to listen, place judgment aside, and hold you accountable. My goal is to guide you toward adulthood.
Sometimes, my expectations may seem absurd and out of touch with your world, but I am preparing you to become a man. Manhood is not what I define for you in a concise definition; it’s what I show you through my actions.
My job is to guide you in learning more about God, yourself, our ancestors, nature, and how to work with others.
As I said after the gym on Monday, I am proud of how you’ve chosen your friends. They present themselves as respectful young men. Continue to surround yourself with positive people today; they will help you create a fulfilling future.
Whether you decide to pursue a professional career in soccer or aviation, discipline will help you learn and expand your skills. AI will evolve before your next graduation, but you must be willing to think and work without Chat, Claude, or any AI friends.
This year, you will join your brother on his rites of passage weekend. To prepare, I expect you to model mature behavior, avoid trash-talking, and share useful advice. He admires you; now is the time for you to step into your leadership role.
E, I love you.
Happy Birthday and Congrats again, Young Scholar!
Dad
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This post was previously published on Vernon C. Lindsay, PhD.
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From The Good Men Project on Medium
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Photo credit: Vernon C. Lindsay, PhD
