Every Man’s Birthday Wish

ASKING God, “What shall I write?” is a question anticipating an answer. It doesn’t take long to come.

On my birthday I ask this and this is the inspiration I’m given: “Write to those you love, and who love you.”

So, it’s a letter… a letter titled, Every Man’s Birthday Wish:

Oh dear family, friends and neighbours all over the world,

I am grateful for the relationship God has blessed me to have with you. Thinking of you now makes my heart glad and my soul rejoice. I know we have occasionally not seen eye to eye, but look at us now; we survived. And still because of the times we couldn’t agree, look at the trust that we, together, nurtured as a result. I thank God for the intimacy between us, even if it sometimes seems I’m not close to you.

To my daughters, I have always feared dying without telling you how I feel about you. On my birthday I’m mindful I have the perfect opportunity for a fresh instalment. I know you have your own lives now, so I’m so grateful for the time we do get, even if you’re all grown up. I’m so proud of the adult persons you’ve become. My most earnest wish is that you would find the meaning of life in God, and Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. But that journey is yours to travel and to decide upon. I go to heaven knowing I’m doing all I can to show you Christ in and through my life — a perfectly imperfect representation of the virtuous life. Continue being happy, work in the work you like, that which brings you alive, and give yourself to your whole life — most importantly to the people you love, and the people God has placed into your life. Know that you are beautiful beyond compare from within, and prettiness you have in such abundance from without.

To my wife, you know that you are God’s choice for me. God knows I need you. Neither of us are perfect, nor are we perfect companions all the time, but there’s nothing I cannot share with you, and there’s nothing I would withhold from you. We each have our gifts that God has bestowed on us. I’m so thankful that yours are complementary to mine as mine are to yours. You sate my senses and my soul delights in you alone.

To my son, I cannot take for granted even one day of this life. If I were to pass into the realm of God right now you wouldn’t have a memory of me other than what we have managed to record. Like your sisters, I only hope you come to be a person of God someday. I love your intensity and enthusiasm. I thank God for your little body and growing heart and mind. Every minute I spend with you is amongst the most precious moments of my whole life!

To all others, especially those who I’ve been working with; I really appreciate the opportunities God has given me to work with you by getting to know and support you. I love to be doing God’s interpersonal and spiritual work, so thank you that you are part of my joy!

© 2015 Steve Wickham.