A Grandfather’s Welcome to the World

One of the things I did when my two children were born was to write each of them a letter telling them all the things I felt the day they were born. The letters were hand written and placed in envelopes and each was given to them on their 18th birthdays.

On October 30th, 2020 my first grandchild came into the world. Her name is Emilia Rose Looney and she is a sight to behold. Her mother, Michele, is my daughter, a medical doctor working at New York Presbyterian Children’s Hospital and her dad is an equally capable business consultant who was a Captain in the U.S. Army and a Ranger at that. To say they are gifted and capable parents is an understatement. Emmy is in good hands who will love and nurture her to achieve great things in life as they have.

My purpose in this brief essay is to tell Emmy how much she is loved by her family and her grandparents. She has already met her dad’s parents who made a long drive from Buffalo to see her. And soon my wife and I will also make that journey to hold our little bundle of joy.

We all wish for you great things in your life, hoping that you will see no boundaries that impede you from fulfilling your dreams, whatever they may be. It’s my hope that you get to experience the things we gave to your mother and her brother. You will one day learn to sail and experience the beauty and serenity it brings. We hope that you will love to learn and reach for goals that exceed your expectations and abilities.

It has been said that children are the messengers we send to a time and place we will not live to see. Emmy will take with her all of the love and knowledge of her family to make her place in this world. She will take a piece of each of us, her grandparents from both her mom and dad, to the world she will live in. She will carry our love.

Welcome to the world Emmy. Carpe Diem.