You know who is great?

My Aunt Donna.

She is one of the greatest people on this earth.

I talked to her on the phone yesterday, and she just made me feel like the world is good. She just knows what to say.

I'm blessed to have a terrific family. 

I'm sure a therapist would say, "Dig a little deeper about your family. You're blocking something out."

Plllllttt.

That was a fart sound, in case you're wondering.

(Listen, no offense to therapists, but the reason they became therapists is that they were trying to gain some insight into why they're screwed up.)

But let's not go down that rocky road of negativity.

We're here to praise Donna. Thank you, Aunt Donna, for being in my life. 

Roll tape...

Oh, oh, oh...one more...

Samuel was home and the sun was out

And I finished two manuscripts.

I just told Bailey everything's gonna be okay

He agrees.

Today sucked

I'll be honest. It sucked.

There is nothing you can do about certain things. You can't change other people.

And the funny thing is, when bad shit happens, you realize how lucky you are.

Truly. You count your f-ing blessings, and thank God your kids don't have Leukemia, weren't hit by a bus today, weren't gunned down in a school shooting, weren't born in Syria.

Perspective.

First thing I did this morning was open the refrigerator, see the unopened carton of milk that was about to expire, and think about Samuel, who used to drink a half gallon a day. Now no one drinks the milk. Or the Hershey's syrup.

I made myself a glass of chocolate milk and thought about how wonderful Samuel is, and how lucky I am to be his dad.

I have two book announcements coming out this week. 2018 is going to be a big year. I like to downplay it, but writing picture books means the world to me. I am the luckiest man in the world to write picture books.

It was 60 degrees and sunny. I went for a quick run on my lunch hour. I ran a half-mile in 2:54. All this stress has made me lose weight. The happy side effect is that I'm in pretty good shape again.

This afternoon I saw the first Mister Softee truck of the year. I thought about Samuel again. I had a black-and-white milkshake.

Tonight I talked to my mom and dad. Can I tell you what I know about my life? I am loved unconditionally. 

Can I tell you something else? Samuel and Ethan are loved unconditionally.

I am sad, but I am blessed.

Questions from a little girl

This video makes me smile. ("Why do trees just stand there?") And it makes me cry. ("How does life live?")

The meaning of our lives is ultimately about other people. 

It's about the love that we give our children, and the love that they will someday give to their own children. Love is like water. It is ancient and eternal and it just keeps recycling from generation to generation. We can't even possess it. We're just the custodians.

The thing about love is that it's so magical and wonderful, and yet, if you want to be scientific about it, it's just neurons and chemicals. Maybe a little stardust. Maybe it's the stardust that makes it magical.

I'm sad about some things in my life that I can't talk about here, not on a blog. I can't make sense of some things, and they've got me in a real funk.

"Hopefully" is a word I use a lot lately.

Hope and love are two good words to live by.

Tell someone you love them. And have hope. That's all we can do.

"Samuel, Your future is whatever you make it. Michael J. Fox"

Ethan is 16

Happy 16th birthday, Ethan, my little existential spaceman, constantly testing the bonds of Earth. I am so blessed to be on this tiny rock at the edge of the universe with you; it has meaning because of you. You are the greatest boy any dad could wish for, and I would watch you grow up a hundred times again if I could, again and again and again, feeling more blessed every time.