The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture
scheduled to be a C-section baby, but Jai’s water broke, and not long
after we got to the hospital, Chloe just slipped out. (That’s my
description. Jai might say “slipped out” is a phrase only a man could
come up with!) Anyway, for me, holding Chloe for the first time, looking
into this tiny girl’s face, well, it was one of the most intense and spiritual
moments of my life. There was this connection I felt, and it was different
from the one I had with the boys. I am now a member of the Wrapped
Around My Daughter’s Finger Club.
I love watching Chloe. Unlike Dylan and Logan, who are always
so physically daring, Chloe is careful, maybe even dainty. We have a
safety gate at the top of our staircase, but she doesn’t really need it
because all of her efforts go into not getting hurt. Having grown
accustomed to two boys who rumble their way down any staircase,
fearing no danger, this is a new experience for Jai and me.
I love all three of my kids completely and differently. And I want
them to know that I will love them for as long as they live. I will.
Given my limited time, though, I’ve had to think about how I
might reinforce my bonds with them. So I’m building separate lists of my
memories of each of the kids. I’m making videos so they can see me
talking about what they’ve meant to me. I’m writing letters to them. I
also see the video of my last lecture—and this book, too—as pieces of
myself that I can leave for them. I even have a large plastic bin filled with
mail I received in the weeks after the lecture. Someday, the kids might
want to look through that bin, and my hope is that they’ll be pleased to
find both friends and strangers who had found the talk meaningful.
Because I’ve been so vocal about the power of childhood dreams,
some people have been asking lately about the dreams I have for my
children.
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