Dear Boys,

I am in seat 4C on an airplane called an Airbus 320! Ask mom to show you a picture of a plane in the “shine a light” book. The pilots are steering us toward San Francisco, California. I am on a long plane ride, and I am thinking about you.

I have not been home very much lately. I have not had much time to play when I have been home.

I ask people if I can visit their meetings to tell stories. Sometimes people invite me to come, without me asking, like a birthday party! Sometimes I see friends, and sometimes I meet new friends. I am always very nervous when I meet new friends. When I get nervous it makes me feel very dizzy. Isn’t that strange? My brain boo boo makes me feel these strange ways.

Isaac, you know the most about my brain boo boo. You can tell your brothers about it if you want to.

It is very normal to feel nervous.

My hurt brain makes me feel dizzy and weak when I get very, very nervous. You don’t have to worry about that. I take medicine that helps. Sometimes a hurt in one part of our body can make other parts feel hurt, too.

Noah, do you remember when you broke your arm? The doctor gave you a “robot arm!” [AH: cast] Your arm was hurt, and that made you feel very sick and very tired. A hurt in your arm made other parts hurt, too! Because we need our brains to help all over our bodies, the brain boo boo I have makes me walk with a cane, and I get very weak sometimes, and I also feel very dizzy when I get nervous.

I am on the airplane to go to California and tell a story! When I tell a story to new friends I usually talk about kindness. I like stories that teach people new things–or sometimes old things that maybe they forgot. Talking about kindness is one of the most important things I talk about.

I thought about this earlier, and I thought that I have not been very kind to each of you. I am very sorry for not being kind. I have not made very much time to play when I have been home.

Gideon, today before I left to go on my trip, I was cross with you because you did not eat your lunch. I am very sorry for not speaking kindly with you.

It is important we treat others in the ways we think are most important. I think being kind is the most important thing.

I am telling stories to new friends this week. Some of my new friends have hurt bodies like me. Other friends are helpers for people with hurt bodies. Some of the helpers are doctors. Many of us are both! We have hurt bodies, and we are also helpers! You can be a helper even if you have a hurt body! That’s important to remember!

When a helper spends time with people who are hurt or sick, the helpers may think what is most important is fixing the hurt body. Sometimes the helpers think if they cannot fix a hurt body, then the helper did not do a good job. The helpers may start to feel sad. Feeling sad is ok. Like being nervous. But we shouldn’t always feel that way.

Boys, sometimes a hurt body cannot be fixed. But that does not mean we should be angry. It does not mean the helper did a bad job.

Remember what I think is most important?

Kindness.

Sometimes being kind makes someone feel better even than fixing a hurt body.

That is the story I am going to tell my new friends. The helper that daddy knows who tried to fix my brain boo boo couldn’t fix it all the way, but he was very kind. I’m going to talk to my new friends about how kind he is. I’ll remind the helpers especially that I think it’s more important to be kind all the time, even if you can’t fix a boo boo.

I miss each of you very, very much. I cannot wait to be home and give each of you a big hug!

I love you and love you and love you, no matter what.

—Dad

This post originally appeared on Glioblastology. It is republished with permission.