Because of Gravity

A Poem

If you’re new to Raising Myles, Welcome!

I write letters to my son, Myles, sharing my journey as a first-time dad and spreading the love I didn't experience myself. If you’ve been here before — thank you for coming back. If you’re new here, below are some good places to start:

• Last week’s letter - I Never Knew Grief Could Be a Place

• We Don’t Eat Cats and Dogs

• Am I Good Dad, or Is the Bar Just Really Low?

• Starting Daycare: I Never Knew it Would be this Hard

• I used to be a Plant Dad

Because of Gravity

16 Months

Dear Myles,

before you were our center,
we revolved around each other –
love, our gravity,
pulling us together
8 orbits around the sun
and counting 

for every revolution,
I tell your mother  

one day,
we will have been together 
longer than we’ve been apart,
and maybe even longer
than we’ve been alive

love, this gravity,
pulling us closer,
stronger now
because of you
our Sun

and this year I said,

you know,
one day, 
                                     God willing,
we will see
our son’s children

and this is my dream –
to look up and see
a constellation
that started with us.

I love you and there’s nothing you can do about it

Love,

Daddy

If you can’t commit to a monthly subscription, but still want to support Myles’ college plan, here is my Buy Me a Coffee page.

And if you are on Substack, please restack this letter and recommend it so I can share this love with the world.

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Let me know your thoughts:

1. What moments or people in your life feel like gravity, pulling you closer?

2. How do you imagine the legacy you’re creating, even in the smallest, everyday ways?

3. Who or what do you dream of leaving behind for future generations?

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If you enjoyed this poem, you might enjoy these too:

• Balm for Wounds: Apologizing in Advance

• Musings in the Backyard

• Sons of California and Palestine

• Tell them Where You’re From