Back in August ’92, I set off to California to begin my studies at Pitzer College.
As I was an only child it was a big change for both me and my parents.
My parents wouldn’t have me around to entertain them (or drive them nuts) and I would be living in a dorm with another 100 kids around my age.
As my parents were living in Thailand at the time we mostly kept in touch via snail mail but that meant about a two-week delay between correspondence.
When email started to become popular I immediately saw its potential and signed up for a yahoo account.
Soon I was writing every few days to keep my parents abreast of what I was up to.
Then one day my friends and I were talking about our families and it got me thinking about everything my parents had done for me and how much I had appreciated it all.
So when I went to the computer lab later that day when I wrote my email I signed it, “Love, your son, Adrian.”
I didn’t think much of it but it became my signature.
When I returned home for the holidays one day in the car my father turned to me and said, “I’ve been meaning to ask you but…why do you always sign your emails with ‘your son?’ Your mother and I have been dying to know.”
I told them the only thing I could – that I was proud to be their son.
How often in life do we forget to tell the people that we love the most how much they mean to us?
How often do we forget to say thank you to our parents?
How often do we take others for granted?
It may sound strange to some people but I still say, “my wife” nearly every day instead of her name.
Why? Because each time I do, I am reminded how lucky I am to have her in my life.
It’s a small thing but to me it means so much.
I have been blessed to have my health, my eyesight, my education but the people that we meet and the friendships we have make life all worthwhile.
Take the time to let those people in your life know you care.
Sometimes it really is as simple as just a few short words.
Your friend,
Adrian Shepherd