Ari,

You did a great job yesterday. And you did it your way. Everyone could see that. Yesterday we celebrated you becoming adult according to Judaism. Today we want to celebrate you.

It’s time for us to flex as parents and tell everyone how proud we are of you. Is that the right word? Flex. Maybe it’s “Glaze.” Blake’s starting to look very uncomfortable. So that must be it.

You made it look so easy. But we shouldn’t be surprised. You’ve always been able to do remarkable things. You have an incredible combination of being really smart and working really hard.

You’ve always been a leader, demanding that people follow your way. Even before you could talk, you’d hold your breath until either people gave in or you passed out. Lucky for us, you’ve decided to stop doing that and lead your life in a very thoughtful and positive way.

Today Mom and I want to share three things that make us proud—out of the many we could choose from. You are an exceptional student, a caring family member, and a loyal friend.

Being an Exceptional student

You pick things up incredibly fast. When you were 2, I poorly explained the card game concentration on a train. I explained it so badly that I wouldn’t have understood what I said. But you looked me in the eye and said “OK, got it” – and amazingly, you did.

When you were little, you wanted to go to math class like your brother. One of the parents asked, “How old are the kids in this class?” One girl said, “I’m six.” You said, “I’m three.”

When you came home, you had homework to do. This was the first homework you’d ever had. You were three.

“Grandma,” you said, “how do you make a 5?”

She sat you down and explained, “First you make a line on top, then a round part down here. Let’s practice.”

“Grandma, stop!” you said. “I have this math problem. 2 plus 3 equals 5. I know the answer. I don’t need to know how to make a hundred 5s. Just help me make ONE 5 so I can finish my homework and go play.”

Your academic prowess has continued from there. Last year, we accumulated this huge pile of certificates. My favorite reads, ‘For Strong Character – Ari always does the right thing, even when he thinks no one is watching.’ One of your teachers said that she had a hard time keeping up with you but that it was a fun challenge.

What makes this even more remarkable is how you handle yourself. It’s never about competing with others or proving you’re the smartest. You just quietly get the job done.

Being Caring family member

You’re such a caring family member, always looking for ways to help and make us feel good.

You’ve become our family’s unofficial logistics coordinator – first, demanding weekly schedules; second, being the first one packed for trips; and third, tracking flights and checking traffic for us.

But what sets you apart is your incredible emotional intelligence. I’ll never forget when I wasn’t feeling well. I was lying in bed and you quietly appeared beside me and asked, “Do you need one of my stuffed animals? Would that make you feel better?” Before I could even answer, you disappeared and came back with your favorite stuffie, gently placing her right next to me on the pillow. That simple gesture meant everything. You knew exactly what comfort I needed.

Being a Loyal friend

You love playing with your friends. You waking up at 6AM for soccer, hockey, and frisbee before school, then more soccer at lunch. We were so proud when you made the Ultimate Frisbee team in 6th grade, then the “A” team in 7th. Last year, you and your friends made this massive Minecraft server and you were a team captain.

You’re fiercely protective of your friends and you have lots of them. You never say anything behind their backs. When people try to get you to gossip, you’ll stop them cold: “I don’t like where this is going. Stop it. He is my friend.” The way you deliver that line – firm, unwavering – lets everyone know you mean it.

Your friends accept you completely for who you are. When you wanted to bring the book “Math with Bad Drawings” to camp, we worried people would think you were nerdy. But you packed it anyway. On visiting day you grinned and said, “Everyone loves my book. Even the counselors are borrowing it.”

To Sum Up

You’re such a great kid. You are an exceptional student, a caring family member, a loyal friend – lots of other things. We’re so proud of the young man you’ve become and excited to watch you grow up.

But even if you didn’t do any of these things, we’d still love you for being you.