We tried so hard to make things better for our:
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> > kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren,
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> > I'd like better. I'd really like for them to know
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> > about hand-me-down clothes and homemade ice cream
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> > and leftover meatloaf sandwiches. I really would.
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> > -- I hope you learn humility by being humiliated,
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> > and that you learn honesty by being cheated. I hope
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> > you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and
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> > wash the car.
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> > -- And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new
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> > car when you are sixteen.
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> > -- It will be good if at least one time you can see
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> > puppies born and your dog put to sleep. I hope you
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> > get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.
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> > -- I hope you have to share a bedroom with your
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> > younger brother. And it's all right if you have to
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> > draw a line down the middle of the room, but when
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> > he wants to crawl under the covers with you because
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> > he's scared, I hope you let him.
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> > -- When you want to see a movie and your little
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> > brother wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him.
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> > I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your
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> > friends and that you live in a town where you can
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> > do it safely.
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> > -- On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I
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> > hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two
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> > blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone
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> > as uncool as your Mom.
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> > -- If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches
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> > you how to make one instead of buying one. I hope
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> > you learn to dig in the dirt and read books. When
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> > you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn
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> > to add and subtract in your head.
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> > -- I hope you get teased by your friends when you
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> > have your first crush on a girl, and when you talk
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> > back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap
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> > tastes like.
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> > -- May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn
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> > your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a
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> > frozen flagpole. I don't care if you try a beer
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> > once, but I hope you don't like it. And if a friend
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> > offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he
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> > is not your friend.
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> > -- I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with
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> > your Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle. May you
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> > feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.
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> > I hope your mother punishes you when you throw
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> > baseball through your neighbor's window and that she
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> > hugs you and kisses you at Christmastime when you
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> > give her a plaster mold of your hand.
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> > -- These things I wish for you -- tough times and hard
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> > work, disappointment and happiness. To me, it's the
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> > only way to appreciate life. Written with a pen.
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> > Sealed with a kiss. If you are my friend, please
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> > answer this: Are we friends or are we not? You told
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> > me once, but I forgot. So tell me now. And tell me
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> > true. So I can say.....I'm here for you. Of all the
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> > friends I've met, you're the one I won't forget. And
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> > if I die before you do, I'll go to heaven and wait
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> > for you.
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