In my life, there are many things I have done that I am ashamed of, most of which happened in my youth. I am sure there are many fathers that would attest to the same. I am not a brave enough person to confess these mistakes to you. I understand an argument can be made to the value of my teaching “lessons” based on personal errors in judgment. Lesson’s learned the hard way, as they say, that through their telling could prevent you from suffering a similar mishap. It could be that such a book would require multiple volumes, and I do not have the time nor the desire to carry out such an examination of the poor decisions I have made over the course of my life. 

Therefore I rely the Buddhist philosophy that states there is no past, nor a future, only the present. Besides, how many father’s bare their most humiliating sins to their children? And would you not have skipped a chapter titled “My Sins” should I have included one? If you for some reason wish I had delved into the dark recesses of memory, read St. Augustine’s Confessions and apply whatever of his sins to me that you wish. I have only read excerpts of his tell-all diary, but am sure that of his sins I have committed many. There. Done. 

Which brings me back to the point of this book, which is simply to leave some piece of my soul for you. You, the dearest of all that is meaningful in my life. You, that brings me the greatest joy in life. You, to whom I devote my undying love and support. You, to whom I wish to remain close to forever. And since forever is only possible in the spiritual realm, an unknowing and often questioned realm existing only in faith, I must take advantage of what we have for certain, which is this moment, and leave you this small book that I hope will make clear just how much I love you. 

“If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.”

—Lao Tzu