Our son Max turns 22 years old today. On this special occasion I have asked Jean-Marc to express his thoughts, which are especially moving in today's recording (don't miss the sound file in French). The English version of this letter follows, just below.
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TODAY'S WORD: Mon Grand
: my big boy, my son, my darling
A FATHER'S TRIBUTE TO HIS SON
Audio File: click here to listen to Jean-Marc read his letter aloud
Maxime, Mon Grand,
Pour tes 22 ans, le même âge que ta Maman et moi avions lorsque nous nous sommes rencontrés, j'ai écrit ces quelques lignes.
Depuis 4 ans tu as commencé à déployer tes ailes mais bientôt, elles devront battre plus fort et plus longtemps pour traverser l'Atlantique et vivre une année au Mexique. Tu nous manques déjà lorsque tu es à Montpellier alors je n'ose pas penser comment ça sera l'année prochaine lorsque tu seras à Leon.
Le temps a passé trop vite. Je regrette profondément de ne pas avoir partagé plus avec toi, en particulier ces dernières années. Mais voilà, j'ai choisi un métier trop prenant et je n'ai pas su toujours trouver les bons équilibres. Je te prie de m'en excuser.
Je suis très fier de toi, de ta personnalité, de ton enthousiasme, de ton parcours de vie.
Joyeux Anniversaire, "mon Grand" . En fait, je t'ai toujours appelé "mon Grand" même lorsque tu étais "Petit". Cela me vient sûrement de mon Papa qui m'appelait aussi comme ça aussi et cela me permet de garder sa mémoire vivante.
Je t'aime fort.
Maxime, Mon Grand,
For your 22 years, the same age that your Mom and I had when we met, I wrote you a few lines.
For 4 years you have started to spread your wings but soon they will have to flap harder and longer to cross the Atlantic and live a year in Mexico. We miss you already now that you are in Montpellier so I do not dare to think how it will be next year when you will be in Leon.
Time has passed too fast. I deeply regret not having shared more with you, especially in recent years. But here, I chose a demanding career and I did not always know how to find the right balance. Please excuse me.
I am very proud of you, of your personality, your enthusiasm, your life course.
Happy Birthday, "Mon Grand." In fact, I always called you "Mon Grand" even when you were "Little". It surely comes from my Daddy who also called me that too and it allows me to keep his memory alive.
I love you very much.
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I live in South Africa and have a son in UK and a daughter in New Zealand, so I feel for you Jean-Marc. A warning – your loneliness will get worse when you have grandchildren.
I felt your sadness Mike. We suffer sometimes as parents – and then to suffer again in the next generation is hard indeed. But there is a song that talks about love – and trains and boats and planes that sometimes bring people together again. My hope for you.
Love it…brings to mind my two sons and the plaque hanging on their bathroom wall when they were growing up. It read “there are two gifts we can give our children…one is roots and the other is wings. ” They took it literally! They both live out of state from me and in two separate states. They are vey successful in their life and work…and they are happy….which makes me happy! Isn’t that what we want for our children?!
Ah, Jean-Marc, thank you thank you for such a beautiful and life-encouraging tribute. Absolutely emblematic of the magnificent country you live in. You and your country provide hope for those of us fighting despair here in the United States. Je me suis une patriote de vous et de votre pays. Merci merci.
C’est émouvant !
Thank you for sharing your heartfelt thoughts with us, Jean Marc. Any of us with adult children know those feelings well as they take those steps away from us. And yet, if one has provided a home full of love, trust and faith, that is to say a strong foundation from which to fly, they will always appreciate coming home and the ties will always remain strong. I suspect that you and Kristi have indeed provided this kind of home for your children. So you keep them in prayer, wish them Godspeed – and do lots of Skyping!
So beautifully put, this brought tears to my eyes and expresses from the heart what we experience when we have children. How quickly they grow to spread their wings. How can we be parents without some regrets? There is not the time in the world to experience all we wish to do with our children. Thank you for sharing.
Short but very moving and loving letter from a father to his son. I wish I had the talent to compose such a birthday letter. Perhaps Jean Marc should have been a writer instead of a wine grower. I also enjoy the blog very much, especially the vocabulary list.
Jean-Marc,
No birthday card could ever have expressed such a wonderful, loving, and heartfelt tribute you have given Max on his birthday. What a treasure you are to him, and he to you! Happy Borthday, Max!
Merci J-M
Une lettre si touchant que a bien capture les sentiments , partage peut-etre entre tous entre nous quand on vois les enfants devenir adultes.
Amicalement,
Jo
That was so touching, and hearing JM trying to make it through to the end was a tear-jerker! Please tell Jean-Marc he is never to have regrets about time not spent with Max, I don’t know any fathers who have done a better job at raising their kids, and I know a lot of amazing fathers!!
The life you have both given your kids is truly a dream-life, and they have turned out so well-adjusted, bilingual, talented, and capable young adults, a rare thing in today’s world! Congratulations to both of you, and Joyeux Anni, Max!!!
bisous, Suzanne, Charlie and Lily
Trop beau ! Merci à toi et à Jean-Marc de l’avoir partagé avec nous ! Joyeux anniversaire Max !
Très émouvant. J’avais des larmes aux yeux.
I also have a son born on the same day and the same age as your Max! He is my second oldest son and his name is Ian. I was very moved by his father’s words and even more by hearing him say them. Thank you so much. I’m going to go hug my Ian now.
I got behind in reading the posts due to travels, and as it happens, my catching up brings this to me on [U.S.] Fathers’ Day. How very, very special!