December 14, 2021
My Dearest Claire Bear,
Happy, Happy 11th Birthday to you!
I am not sure how it happened, but all of the sudden, you have become an insanely independent, beautifully brilliant, ridiculously funny, crazy strong, amazingly creative fifth grader...and we are the luckiest to benefit from all of your spirit and gifts.
You are the light and the laughter that make us belly laugh and howl--while simultaneously being the anger and passion that makes all of us scream, "CLAIRE!!!," in frustration and exhaustion.
You are indeed a presence.
This year, you found yourself continuing to study and progress in Taekwondo. You've earned your brown belt and are keeping your eye on the black belt prize. Your tenacity and grit shows up when nearly everyone in the dojo is bigger than you and you find your way sparring to the finish. When you get hit or knocked down, you rise--but not without a few colorful words (that I'm pretty sure I taught you) mumbled under your breath--which makes me so proud.
As the youngest member of our family, you're watching your older siblings make their way through hard classes in high school, practice driving cars, stumble through summer jobs, and now, tour colleges. All of this has helped you learn the value of a steady work ethic, strong academic success and the in's and out's of what it takes to make dreams come true....namely, a lot of prayers and saying I'm sorry when we take one another for granted.
Whether in school, at the Taekwondo studio or hanging out with friends, you are really good at bringing the fun. You love to ride bikes, swim, hike, camp, sing, play the piano, dance in the kitchen, and man oh man are you an amazing artist--you can draw, paint, sculpt, sew, and design something out of nothing. As you're creating, you're also thinking about how you can make a business out of your craft. Your entrepreneur cap is strong and steady.
There are many parts of you that I admire, but one in particular has made its way to the forefront this year...you are a really good friend. You're not interested in gossip or drama. You care about feelings and advocate for peace. You're seen as the calm in the storm and the steady among your people. Watching you navigate challenges with others helps me to learn the value of meeting people where they are and seeking to be loving, instead of right.
And one more thing stands out--you are a brilliant organizer of all kinds of things and people. You can whip a closet, desk, basement, or junk drawer into shape--just as you can use your influence to move people toward playing a game, conferencing over FaceTime or collaborating to make a comic.
As you continue to make your way in the world and your siblings eventually head for their next adventures, I want to encourage you to keep your strong moral compass juxtaposed to your fiery disposition. You are a crazy force for good. Take deep comfort and pride in who you are and know that God made you with a heart and an energy for love. Keep navigating your own ship. Don't pay attention to the naysayers or the conformity of the masses--fiercely cling to what you know is right and true.
And as you embark upon this new year in your journey, know that you are so, so deeply loved just for who you are.
We could not love you more, Claire Bear,
