A Letter to Keaton Francis Gossett

Keaton or K.P. as I will undoubtedly call you,

Ever since your mom and I found out that you are going to come into our life, I cannot help but wonder what kind of a father I will be. Will I be the strict disciplinarian or will I opt for the cool dad persona? I've always been the cool guy in the room, the always joking guy and I am sure that will never change. I wanted to create a rule that says "If it's funny you're not in trouble." Your momma of course said "NO!"

I also wonder will I have enough to teach you? I have always deemed myself a smart man. I did some crazy things growing up with your late grandpa that I will tell you about when you are older. I want you to get 2 educations like I did; both street smarts and book smarts. I want you to never underestimate the good and bad in people, or in yourself either. I want you to read every book you can get your hands on. Reading can take you around the world and sail you to far off places without you ever leaving your chair. I hope you never strive for perfection because it does not exist, you can only do your best and give 110%, and that is all your mother and I will ever ask of you. Always remember that perfection is not attained at the point at which nothing can be added, but at the point at which nothing can be taken away. That will make more sense when you are older I promise. Will I live up to your expectations? I hope so, hell I hope I live up to my own expectations. I have no doubt there will be trying times for us both, but love for each other and the strength of this family can conquer many things. You keep family first and foremost always, nothing ever comes between us.

I guess I just wonder if I will be a good father. There are so many questions in my head. Sometimes I wonder if it is even normal to ask these questions. Do all fathers to be think about this stuff? I suspect the answer is yes, but somehow I cannot help but feel special asking all these questions as if they are being asked for the first time. This is what God must have felt before creating Adam and Eve. Which brings me to religion. Your mother is so much more religious and full of faith than your father will ever be. I will never question the existence of God and neither shall you. The path you choose to find him is up to you. Your mother and I can only point you in the right direction.

I do not expect to be the perfect father, like I said perfection is an illusion that does not exist. I have always said that “every parent gets an opportunity to mess up their kids in their own particular way”, this is certainly not out of any ill will, but no parent has ever been perfect, and I do not have some wild belief that I will miraculously be the first. Mistakes will always be made. Things unmeant will always be said, and hearts will somehow be broken. That is life son. You just have to dust off your blue jeans and hop back up on that bucking bronco and ride him out into the sunset, and never doubt that your mother and father love you more than anything in this world. We will always be here to protect you and help you however we can.

Keaton, the hopes and dreams your mother and I have for you are much bigger than we could ever imagine, but for you they will certainly seem to be just dumb or trivial ideas. You my son, will undoubtedly be more educated, more articulate, more traveled, more intellectual and ultimately a better man than I have ever been. I myself have accomplished far less in life but for you I wish the world and all you seek to find within it. I hope you follow your dreams, travel the world abroad and ultimately contribute all you can to society and help make this wonderful world a better place. I hope to teach you all I know, and encourage you to learn all I never did.

Your opinion of me will surely change as you grow up and go through your life ; from child to boy to ultimately a man and father. I imagine that you will love me as a child just as all children love their parents, but when you become a teenager you will surely rebel just as I did and call me un-cool and old fashioned. I am not worried or afraid of this period in your life, like many other phases this too will pass with time. However, do not ever think you are too big for daddy to spank that behind. Some of your greatest lessons will be learned from discipline. However, you will never here the line "This hurts me more than it hurts you..". That has yet to be proven even though your late grandpa told me that with every spanking I got from him.

I sometimes wonder what you will think of me as you have children of your own; Long after I die and I am no longer in your life. Will you remember me for times when you loved me or for times when you thought I was an ignorant old man from the backwoods Georgia country, just as I did my father? Will you consider me a good father or a bad one? Like every child does at some point, you will look back at your own life and see all the things I did wrong; and just like all the children that came before you did; you will surely vow not to make the same mistakes with your own children. On that particular day when you are ready to render a verdict on the fate of my memory, I can only hope you still possess this letter.

I love you more than you shall ever know,

Your Father