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“This book meant more to me than getting a car for my 16th birthday.” Wow!
A reaction like that should register at least 5.0 magnitude on the Richter scale!
When my daughter was about to turn 16, I wanted to do something for her birthday that she would really find meaningful. And something that would have lasting value. So I decided to combine my passion to “leave nothing unsaid” with my love of photographs and scrapbooking, and I prepared my first ever photo book that illustrated the sections of the letter with photographs. Finding photographs that reflected her most endearing character qualities was amazingly easy to do. It really brought the words of the letter to life. Not only was the project lots of fun, it was incredibly rewarding!
My husband and I had decided to buy a (used!) car for Anne for her 16th birthday. Because her school was such a distance away, this was a necessity if I wanted to do anything other than spend my entire day on the roads of Atlanta.
We’d always said: “We will NOT be getting you a car when you turn 16! Don’t think about it, and don’t expect it! It’s not going to happen.” Yes, we had shoe leather in our mouths, because we did eat those words. So the car was a big surprise, and let’s face it…something that every teenager wants. Wheels = Freedom!
So for Anne to say that this book was more meaningful than a car…parents, take note! Our kids are longing to know the things about them that are worth celebrating…that make them special, unique, wonderful!
Don’t let “I don’t know how to do this” stop you from trying. Is there a teenager in your life that needs to know how special they are? I don’t think there are rougher waters to navigate than the teenage years…and your words of care and encouragement could make a huge impact!
