Letter from a father to his graduating daughter

My dearest Lauren Lou,

From the day you were born, you captured our hearts with an infectious smile that soon developed into the warmest hug.

I used to remind myself that the day would come when I would find myself missing you — the little girl who would sing around the house or write plays for others to perform; the girl who was at times so hungry but unable to decide what she was hungry for; the girl who adores her baby sister.

My dearest Lauren, I appreciate your integrity, your passion, and your love for Jesus. I expect great things from you. Not great as defined by a world drunk on its own materialism, but great on a deeper level.

I expect you to live truthfully; to face your imperfections head-on; to be real and authentic in your relationships. I expect you to call home.

I will close with some guidelines:

Rule No. 1 — Life is not fair. Get used to it.

Rule No. 2 — Always treat people with respect, and be nice to everyone.

Rule No. 3 — Maintain balance in your life.

Rule No. 4 — Always keep your personal integrity; it defines who you are.

Rule No. 5 — Do something with your career that you’re passionate about.

Rule No. 6 — Never let money be the motivator for what you decide to do. Success is determined by how you contribute to making someone else’s life better.

My dear Lauren, today is one of the best days of our lives. You have exceeded our highest hopes and dreams. Thank you for bringing so much joy into our lives.

With all my love,

Your Dad