Dear Zoe and Talia, It seems strange to write a birthday letter when you two are in different places on this planet. I’m pretty certain that in all other years, you’ve been in the same space, sometimes even in the same room. And now, there’s about an hour between you, and had life gone the…

Dear Aaron, Late in the day on October 30, 2004, labor pains for your impending birth began. That evening, which was beggar’s night in Kettering, I sat on the front stoop, clutching my tightening belly as I passed out candy to the neighborhood children. The pains had been strong enough to send me to the…

Dear Melina, I got back from a long run the other day and was standing in the shower when I realized that the end of June was upon us and I hadn’t started your birthday letter yet. So, like last year, it was another “Holy shit!” moment. (For real, my dear. I said it out…

Dear Aaron, This is the latest I’ve ever written a birthday post. Usually I think about it well ahead of time, and even last year, when I claimed to be behind due to Grandma’s passing, I had no idea that this year would be worse. I have no excuse for it—your birthday comes around at…

Dear Melina, Holy shit, what can I say? Maybe I shouldn’t start a letter like that, especially a birthday one, but your mouth is pretty much as awful as mine, so I’m going with my gut here. It’s been a year, hasn’t it? That might truly be an understatement, but these days, it’s the best…

Dear Zoe and Talia, Bear with me here—this might be the longest birthday letter yet. As always, there’s a lot to say, much of which is probably repetition from the years before, but I’m pulling out the mom card here: I get to do this because I’ve earned the right. (What does that really mean?…

Dear Aaron, I had all the plans in the world to begin this letter in September. When that didn’t happen, I moved my goal to early October. Then mid-October. But then, well, you know what occurred: my Mom took a turn for the worse, and I spent her last days with her and then more…