Letter to Caiti
From WWR
Prelude: My daughter Caiti graduates on May 30, 2006. I wanted her to understand how important this event is so I took her out flying on Saturday night. I asked her to pick a stone up from the ground before we left. We took off and climbed for as long as the little airplane would climb. The letter below is a summary of my message to her.
Dear Caiti,
The stone you have in your hand is symbolic of where you came from. In the grand scheme of things, Chugiak is insignificant, but to you, it will always be “home”. It won’t be the spot you hang your hat in each night, but it will always be the place in this world where you got your start.
Your mom and I came to Alaska in 1984 full of hopes and dreams for starting a family and a good life. We found it here. Although Alaska has been good to us, it isn’t without a cost. Every decision you make will have a cost associated with it.
By moving here you and Grady never had the chance to know your grandparents, aunts, uncles or cousins like I knew mine. When I was growing up, we could play with our cousins all the time, and we spent as much time at my grandmother’s house as we did our own.
This little airplane has climbed to 13,000 feet, the highest I’ve ever been in it. It took a long time to get here, a lot of effort to fly this high. Your mom and I are like this little airplane; we’ve worked hard over the years to raise you as best we could. For all our efforts, we have what we hoped for; a daughter that we are so proud of. And like the airplane, this is as far as we can take you.
When you look out the window you see grand mountains to all sides as far as you can see. The whole world is out there, full of opportunities. You can go wherever you like; do what you want. You have to make your own dreams and then YOU have to make those dreams come true. Spread your wings and fly.
I don’t know if you want to stay in Alaska or soar somewhere else, but the important part is you have to follow your heart. We’ll be here to support you in whatever you do. And remember, in your journeys, you will always have a home, a safe place to retreat to if you ever need it; it’s where that little stone in your hand comes from.
Caiti, I love you and wish you the best of luck in whatever you choose to do.
