My baby. My graduate. My soon-to-be college student.

Pictured: my brother-in-law Keith, me (omigosh, I’m actually on the other side of a camera), my sister Robyn, Dad, Mom, Tanner and Drew.

You know, I wish I had some words of wisdom to extend to my last high school graduate, but I don’t know what it would be. Most everything has been said. I could remind Tanner to always be himself and dare to be different. But I’ve never met a teenager more comfortable in his own skin. I could remind him to treat others with kindness and respect. But he’s already unfailingly kind and compassionate seemingly beyond limits. I could tell him to keep working hard. But he just graduated with a GPA that makes mine look like a digit is missing — and he’s already developed a long-term plan for his education and career path. There’s really nothing that I can say except: “Tanner, my buddy and constant companion for nearly 18 years, I love you so very much. Thank you for making the world and my life better because you are here. You have a brilliant future ahead of you — but never forget that you can always come home.”