This letter is written to my first grandchild, Samson Gottlieb Ewing, on the event of his birth on May 25.

Dear Sam,

 As your only living grandfather, I want to welcome you into this life. Always remember that you are the product of love and passion. This type of love is one of the many treasures life has to offer. Also remember that, despite its moments of pain and darkness, life is a gift and a blessing.

 Just in case fate intervenes and we can't talk when you are older, I want to share some of my hard-earned wisdom and heartfelt wishes. Your thoughts, your emotions and your body are uniquely yours and will never again be replicated. Most of us want to be unique. As we age, many forget that, like you, we already are unique! Most of us also want to feel that we are cared about and understood. But because you are unique, nobody can ever fully understand what it is like to be you. Therefore, when people offer you advice (me included), take it with a grain of salt because no one will ever know your truth better than you.

 Speaking of advice, let me tell you a little about those people you call parents. They might look and sound like they know what they are doing, but it is an act!

 Unfortunately, parents make things up as they go along. And if they begin to get very strict and rigid, usually it means they are feeling even more uncertain and insecure. To be happy in your family, you must understand this about your parents and be patient with them. Always remember they are trying their best, even if they say and do things that make no sense. As you grow, they will teach you about work and responsibility. But you must teach them about play. This is something children do naturally, but many grown-ups forget about the joys of play.

 When it is time for you to leave the nest, you might worry about how your parents will do without you. Most kids worry about their parents when they leave, but all you can do is your best at taking care of them, and trust that somehow they will be OK without you.

 One day, you will experience the bliss and sorrow of love. Love brings joy to life. It's that simple. And to love another person brings a special kind of happiness. If we are loved back, so much the better. You see, you have little control over whether you are loved by another person, but you can determine how much you love others. The more you love, the happier you will be.

 And, in days to come, you will experience romantic love. You will know you are in love when everyone and everything seems perfect. Romantic love is wonderful, but it is also temporary. Enjoy it while it lasts, and remember the good parts to nourish you through the more challenging times.

 Love isn't all joy, though. One day, you will lose someone or something you love, and the pain will feel unbearable. It is during these times that you need two things.

 You will need people who love you enough to be your companion through the dark times. There will be some who will try to offer you advice or tell you how to feel better. People do this when they feel nervous, helpless or confused. Although their advice may sometimes be helpful, often you will find that it is not. You see, many people have difficulty understanding that kindness and understanding often help more than advice.

 The other thing you will need is faith. Faith that you can tolerate pain, and faith that this moment of pain will not last forever. You will need faith that one day your broken heart will heal, and you will again feel joy.

 As a man, you may get seduced by the false gods of money, power and prestige. They will promise you security and happiness, but will deliver nothing but material wealth. Know that once your basic bills are paid, security and happiness come from within. They are the rewards of a life well-lived. We live in a world that is suffering. It is not your responsibility to fix the world, but if you care and do your small part to diminish the suffering of living things, you will feel better about yourself and your life.

 Always remember that one day your life will be over. It was only when I realized that my life could end that I began to embrace every moment - or at least try to.

 Sam , I pray that you give and receive a great deal of love throughout your life and that you are aware of and grateful for your blessings. And I pray that when you wake up in the morning, you are able to see God's smile.

 There is so much more I want to tell you - about shame and pride, envy, passion and anger.

 I want to tell you about drugs and sex - how both have good and bad sides.

 And I want to take you to your first baseball game.

 If we are lucky, we will have time to talk about school, friends, clothes and many of the weird things your mother did when she was a child! All that for later.

 But for now, welcome to this world and welcome to my heart.

 Love,

 Pop