Mom wrote this journal entry about thirteen years before I eventually became a father myself. I don’t recall the email she references, but it certainly sounds like something I would have said. Like all parents – all people, really – mom had many problems, issues, whatever you want to call them. But she was an incredible parent. I wish she’d written a longer entry on that late December day.

Late December, 1997

David e-mailed Jen and told her he was thinking about being a father and that he found the prospect somewhat daunting. He told her that what he really wished was that he could be as good a parent as I have been.

I’m not supposed to know about this conversation, but…