With Advice and Love

Dear Mike,

I am writing this to say thanks and to inform you of the many ways you have helped to change my life. Many times I tried to push people away due to my lack of trust and unwillingness to be vulnerable and let someone love me. At one of my “Wednesday topics with Mike” – as we call them – you saw something that for many years I tried to hide – my fear. I thought I was tough however in my family groups you helped me to see I was a scared child. All those topics you seem to “just walk in on” you always leave me with advice and love. I thank you for the many times you raised your voice – it’s the only way I listen. Most of all I thank you for the compassion you give and for treating me as one of your own daughters. You tell my mother and others that I am your favorite and I’m not out of your life yet. Someday I hope to give the way you gave to me. Softball season I will never forget because it wasn’t just a season it was a learning experience. I love softball and hope to play for college and you have helped me to love the game and to love my enemy. You helped me to stop judgments toward others and to love your opponents. This I will try to carry to other teams I play on. Thank you for being like a father and always willing to give truth and love even when I would not accept it. When you leave I will try to carry the advice you have given me onto my friends and those I don’t know.

I thank you for testing my character, I hope I passed. Thank you for all your time and effort. I truly love you like a second father. What you have done for me and my family means more to me than you know. We’ll meet again because as you say “you’re not out of my life yet”.

- Danielle M.