Marty and Meg Whitford
Writers write. It’s what we do. Many of us also procrastinate.
A prolific writer once said, “I don’t always love to write, but I always love to have written.” I can relate to that — especially when the writing task at hand is finding just the right words to express to Meg, our 17-year-old, what a gift she is.
Meg recently attended a retreat for which we parents were given the homework of sharing our feelings by writing our retreatants letters.
My first thought? We parents pay way too much in tuition to have homework. Adding to the pressure: Meg was a better writer at age 8 than I am at 48!
I wrote from my heart, not my head.
It took a lot longer to not write than it did to write.
My hope is that after reading my adjacent letter to Meg, you’ll spend 10 minutes today crafting a note to a loved one. I promise it will be well worth it. Our words are as eternal as our love.
You can reach Pest Management Professional Publisher and Editorial Director Marty Whitford at mwhitford@northcoastmedia.net.
I procrastinated because …
It’s 4:01 p.m.,
Wednesday,
March 11, 2015.
This letter was due
to Magnificat High School’s
Kairos retreat organizers
absolutely no later than … yesterday.
Yesterday is gone.
I procrastinated, and procrastinated,
and procrastinated … for many yesterdays.
I procrastinated because I’m a Whitford.
I procrastinated because I’m a writer.
I procrastinated because I’m writing
this letter to a great writer.
I procrastinated because I’m your Old Man,
wondering where all the yesterdays have gone,
wondering how I can possibly find words
to even hint at the wonder you bring us every day, wondering what we’ve done
to deserve The Great Gift of Meg.
I procrastinated because we share so many great memories.
I procrastinated because
just yesterday we “had a tea party.”
I procrastinated because
just yesterday we went to
the father-daughter dance
at St. Raphael’s.
I procrastinated because
just yesterday you stepped
onto the ice for the first time.
I procrastinated because
just yesterday you went to Cali
for the synchronized skating
national championship.
I procrastinated because just yesterday
you wrote your first poem.
I procrastinated because just yesterday
I told you to clean your room. (Never mind. I told you to do that today, too.)
I procrastinated because we’ve shared
a few tough times, too.
You learning to drive.
And, oh yeah …
Saying ‘See you later’ to
Mr. Gaspar,
Uncle Jim,
and Our Beloved Bonnie.
I procrastinated because
we both know
what Bonnie did for you,
and what you did for Bonnie.
That Little Fish
helped That Particular Fish
just as much.
“Everything will be OK.”
I procrastinated because
the pizza guy’s at the door.
I procrastinated because
it’s not cool to cry at work.
I procrastinated because
The Goldbergs are on TV.
I procrastinated because
I’m only wearing my boxers
(like Murray Goldberg),
and apparently that’s not cool
at work, either.
I procrastinated because
WE Are Writers.
that’s how we roll.
WE Writers
Live On
Through Our Words.
But most of all,
I procrastinated because
WE Parents
Live On
Through Our Children
(and their children).
I procrastinated because
I
Love
You …
More than pizza.
More than writing.
More than you will ever know!
— LOVE, DADDIO
Leave A Comment