Dear Hannah,
Yesterday I received your request to be my friend on Facebook. I nearly choked as I realized you are thirteen years old now and that alone makes you eligible to become part of the social media. You may be ready for this but I'm not sure I am.
I don't know that I'm ready for you to be exposed to the ugly side of humanity. Sure, you watch television, but most of what you see is fiction and you know that and haven't allowed it to taint your world.
At first I was surprised your parents would allow it. They've been so diligent in setting time limits on the computer and blocking your access to sites you don't need to see. After speaking with your mother, I understand she's had "the talk" with you and that helps some. I imagine she knows she might as well allow this so you don't have to sneak and do it and then feel guilty about it.
So many good memories are whirling in my mind of the times you and I spent doing things together. Things that to anyone else would seem useless, but to us, at the time, were fun.
Remember long afternoons in TN, when you were 3-4 years old, peeling the bark on the birch trees, trying to see which one of us could pull the longest strip before it broke?
Remember playing cards and laughing so hard the parental units yelled at us from an adjoining bedroom and told us to get quiet and go to sleep?
Remember being next to me in bed and helping me with the crossword puzzles? I was amazed at your knowledge.
Remember spooning at night with your little body giving warmth to my old aching bones?
I cherish every minute I've had with you. And now you want to be my friend on Facebook.
I'm so afraid; afraid that you'll see who I really am and may not like what you see. But I'll take my chances and hope that love wins.
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