What’s your favorite color?

More than three months have now passed since your mother has let me see or speak with you. I find myself wondering how you've changed during that time - Are you taller? Have you lost your first tooth? What new books have you read? What is your favorite color?

When you were a toddler and during most of your preschool years, green was your favorite color. I'm not certain why. Perhaps since we lived in the desert, green was a rare color and so the novelty excited you or the prettiness of some places we visited where green was omnipresent (like the mountains or ocean coast) left an impression. But if given a choice of clothing, Matchbox cars or some other item, you inevitably picked the green one!

Once you turned four and started attending preschool, blue because your favorite color. Again, not certain why, though I'd agree with your taste for blue is my favorite color, too! And perhaps not as much with green, if given a choice of clothing or toy, you inevitably picked the blue one!

What is your favorite today?

My little botanist...

As writing this, I'm living in the high desert overlooking Los Angeles, in a city called Palmdale. You lived here (or in the neighboring city of Lancaster) as well for some four years. Earlier while walking and thinking of you, I came across two flowering desert bushes, one with sun yellow blossoms and the other in a brilliant purple. They looked beautiful upon their green stems against the clear blue sky. I know you would have appreciated them as well, Kieran. We made many hikes together over the years, across the desert, to mountain peaks, along the ocean ... and you always were interested in the trees and flowers and pine cones, always examined them up close. My little botanist, I jokingly called you, though I'd have been proud if you grew up to be a scientist. Well, I'll be proud of whatever you decide to be, because I know you'll approach your career with an incredible passion and will succeed at it. Just don't forget to stop and smell the flowers along the way, okay?!