Dear Hamp

Oh.... this day.
It wasn’t even mid October and the foliage had already gone brown... but it was a beautiful, sunny, crisp fall day - perfect for being up in the mountains. Besides, it was Mojo & Dado's last weekend in Meeker and I thought it would be nice to all go for a hike together and have family dinner at Trapper’s Lodge.

You made it abundantly clear that you did NOT want to go. You pouted, you huffed & puffed, and you rolled your eyes and slammed the table. You claimed you weren’t going. You claimed you would sit in the car if we made you go. You declared that the hike was stupid. the day was stupid. the dinner was stupid. Again, it was clear you did not want to go. 

But I made you go. I weathered the storm and I kept my cool while you threw a fit. I knew that you would find some little bit of joy in our day if you just try. 

On the trail you asked me: why did you make me go?
Because I asked you to go.
Because I wanted you to go.
Because when you threw a fit, I wanted to prove to you that you can ruin your day with your own choice to be sour, but it won’t ruin mine.
Because I wanted you to understand that just because you don’t want to do something, you can still choose to find joy in it.
And maybe the joy is in the fact that you are pleasing someone else....
because you going made me happy and there is joy in making others happy.

The best part is that even though you pouted pretty much until well into dinner, you did (very subtly) come around. You finally realized it wasn’t worth fighting and you let go and you enjoyed yourself. And we all enjoyed your company!
I hope you went to bed that night with some sense of understanding that you can always make a choice to be angry, or to be happy.
I hope you choose wisely, sweet Hamp.