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<p>I have always been fascinated by Native American history and culture. I’m not sure what sparked my initial interest, but as far back as I can remember, it’s always been there. When I was in third grade, I had to do a project for the school science fair. I clearly remember telling my mother that [&hellip;]</p>

<p>If there is one thing that has never been in short supply in G3’s life, it is books. The kid has more books than some libraries. Okay, that might be an exaggeration, but seriously, look in our basement, there are books exploding out of countless bins. And those are the ones he’s outgrown or has [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Dear Dad, It’s been so cold this week. Yesterday, the feel-like temperature didn’t leave the single digits. Today, it was a bit warmer, but it still never rose above freezing. On Sundays, I like to get out of the house, even if it’s just for a short outing. Being stuck in the same house, day [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Dear Dad, Aunt Alberta died last week. I guess you already know that. As always, death is sad, but what complicates the sorrow is the betrayal. Still, it’s hard not to think back on the good times. I remember how close you once were to your brother and his wife. The four of you — [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Currently, G3 is working on two merit badges so that he can catch up to his peers in Boy Scouts. Last summer, due to COVID, we didn’t send him to summer camp. The deadline to register was before the vaccine became available for kids. If we had known that we’d be able to get him [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Dear Dad, We celebrated G3’s twelfth birthday yesterday, but without you here, I don’t know how to make the day special for him anymore. What he always looked forward to most on his birthday was seeing his grandparents. He knew you hated New Jersey. He knew you hated crossing the river, and yet every year [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Dear Dad, I’m good at crying. I’ve always been really good at crying. If only it were a marketable skill, I would never again have to worry about money. But lately, it’s all I do. I cry when I wake up. I cry myself to sleep. And throughout the day, I think of you and [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Dear Dad, You would have loved Hawkeye. It was fantastic. The final fight scene took place on the ice at Rockefeller Center. The last time G3 and I were there, we were with you. As if watching Marvel shows isn’t enough to make me think of you, last night as we watched the finale, it [&hellip;]</p>

<p>I’m not a doctor and I’ve only read a little about PTSD, but I’m willing to bet I’m experiencing some form of it after Dad’s death and my stay in NYC at the hight of the first COVID wave. It’s little things that lead me to believe this. For instance, every time I hear an [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Last month, after finishing Animal Farm with G3, I decided to do a unit on short stories. It was something different, and in doing a series of short stories, I’d be able to introduce him to more authors than if I stuck to longer works. I included my two favorites: “The Circular Ruins” by Jorge [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Dear Dad, On Sunday, G3 went to a birthday party that he had been looking forward to. Sadly, instead of it being the fun and exciting time he expected, he ended up learning a very difficult, but very valuable life lesson. The party was for one of the boys who goes to his former Taekwondo [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Dear Dad, I’m having trouble with the holidays. I’m trying for G3 to be cheerful and do all the things he loves, but it’s so hard. Everything about Christmas makes me think of you and every memory is yet another reminder that you are no longer here. I can’t even listen to Christmas songs without [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Dear Dad, We had an incredible weekend. It was so much fun. But it still didn’t detract from how much I miss you. I can’t believe this is our second Thanksgiving without you and if anything I missed you more this year, not less. Mom had Thanksgiving and worked incredibly hard to make it nice, [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Some of you may have already seen my post on Facebook so this won’t be news. But one of G3’s short stories has been accepted for publication. It will be in a print journal — which is awesome because he will always be able to keep the book in which his first story appeared — [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Dear Dad, After more than 30 years, I finally got to go on a Boy Scout camping trip and when I got home there was only one person I really wanted to call. If you were alive, I suspect we would have had a very long conversation.&nbsp; I remember very clearly you coming home from [&hellip;]</p>

<p>I was in high school the first time I heard of a book called Animal Farm. I couldn’t tell you which teacher mentioned it, if it was history class or English, my memory is vague. I only remember thinking, “A book about Animals, that sounds stupid.” And so, I didn’t read it until years later [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Dear Dad, Last night, I had a dream about you. I was home and G3 and I were in the middle of a homeschool lesson. He was angry about something I asked him to do — the details are a blur — and we started to fight. Before it could escalate, before I could get [&hellip;]</p>

<p>In late September, G3 went to Block Island with the Boy Scouts. It was his first weekend camping trip without me and Kati and he had a blast. Of course, he was not too happy when he returned to school on Monday and I told him that he should write about the experience. As much [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Dear Dad, On Friday night, Kati walked into G3’s room and found him curled up on his beanbag chair, a blanket pulled up to his chin, and Billy Joel playing softly on the cd player you bought him. When she asked him if he was okay, he responded, “I just miss him so much.” Tears [&hellip;]</p>

<p>G3 continues to amaze and entertain me with his writing. He far surpasses me when it comes to talent and creativity. When I was his age, I was still rebelling against stupid school assignments. I despised writing — all kinds of writing. The concept of doing it for fun was about as appealing as taking [&hellip;]</p>