array(1) { [0]=> string(0) "" } Coming Up on Father’s Day

Coming Up on Father’s Day

by Byron on June 14, 2013

Hey Deck,

It’s been an awesome week!  You’re getting so big.  You’re really starting to look more like a little boy than a baby.  I heard Mom relating a story to a classmate’s mom today.  She said when you were only a few months old she just wished you’d sleep through the night.  Now, only six months later, she’s upset because she just wants to go in and hold you.  She said she was going to stop wishing for anything other than what is, right now.  That might be one of the keys to life, right there.

I’m getting cynical as I get older Decker.  Having you in my life simultaneously makes me more certain of my need for cynicism and makes me want to get rid of it altogether.  I want to protect you from the ills of the world and its people, meaning I need to keep the guard up, but I also want your innocent lens to remain.  I wouldn’t want my cynicism to ruin your optimism.

That said, let me talk about politics a little.  A few things happened over the last few weeks in Baltimore that made disdain politicians even more.  First, current mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake stayed at the Beach House of a lobbyist.  Lobbyists are people hired by companies to influence politicians.  Politicians are people elected by the people to do the people’s work.  Those last two sentences don’t always conflict, but they often do.  The mayor staying at the beach home of one of the top city lobbyists is not cool.  Second, and along similar lines, the mayor’s office is completely backing a project called Harbor Point.  More than $100 million in tax breaks are being given to the project by the city.  Basically, the project can’t support itself under current laws and, because it’s deemed important by some, tax breaks are given while working class families don’t get tax breaks.  The mayor’s office tries to act like it will be a net financial positive.  It won’t.  They know it won’t.  The mayor just wants her name on a marquee project.

Politicians are, by and large, a completely self-interested group of people.  At the end of the day, in my experience, the politicians will put themselves ahead of the people who elected them.  Government is not inherently good.  It’s not always bad, but it’s not inherently good.  Self seeking politicians don’t help.

Having transparent motives is important in life.

On a completely different note, the best things in life happen when you stick your neck out.  You have to involve yourself.  I told someone I’d love to play softball with him if he ever had an extra spot.  Now I’m playing twice a week and loving it.  Sometimes, you need to step up, volunteer, and say what you want.

I love you buddy.

Dad

PS.  You gave me my first father’s day card today.  You helped make it at school.  I loved it!!  It said I was your hero.  I’ll try to earn that.

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