Tim Ellsworth

August 27, 2005

Dear Daniel,

Today was Freshman Move-In Day on campus. This morning I helped a lot of new students move their stuff into their dorm rooms, and this evening I went to a worship service on campus for all of the incoming freshmen and their parents.

After the service is when the families say their emotional goodbyes to one another. As I was leaving the service tonight, I ran into the Hays family, who I met earlier this summer. I had the privilege of being in their house and visiting with their son Josh, who is now a freshman at Union.

Like most parents, I’m sure Tom and Debbie Hays are struggling with Josh moving away from home. He’s their oldest son, so it’s the first time they’ve had to experience this. But Josh’s 10-year-old brother Lucas was having an especially difficult time with his older brother leaving for college. As I stood there talking to the family, tears were freely rolling down young Lucas’ face. Lucas has a big heart and loves his big brother, and he’s going to miss him. It broke my heart to see how upset Lucas was, and I had to fight back the tears myself.

Watching Lucas cry brought back a lot of memories of the day I started college 13 years ago. I had a happy life as a child, but when it came time for me to go off to school, I was ready to leave home and be out on my own. Still, it wasn’t easy to do so. I remember shedding tears when I said goodbye to my dad, mom and brother. Life would never again be the same. They may be painful, but transitions like this are necessary if we’re to grow.

Throughout the day, I’ve thought a lot about what it will be like for us when it’s time for you to leave home 16 years from now. I often wonder what kind of person you’ll be then. What will you study in school? What will your personality be like? What will your hobbies and interests be?

That seems like a long time from now, but I know it will be here before I know it. Until then, your mom and I will do our best to make our home a special place – a place that you’ll one day have to leave, but one that will be difficult for you to do so. Too many kids today have wretched home lives and parents with whom they constantly fight and bicker. For too many kids, I’m afraid, a day like today is a truly glorious experience, one that allows them gleefully to leave behind a home filled with anger, frustration and resentment.

I trust that won’t be the case with you. It’s my prayer that the next 16 years will be full of God’s blessings and happy memories you’ll carry with you for the rest of your life. When your Freshman Move-In Day comes, I want it to be bittersweet for you – full of excitement and expectation for the future, but also tinged with sorrow for leaving a place and people you love. I’m already sure that’s what it will be like for me.

Love always,

Dad