The Lion Sleeps Tonight

A Father Writes to His New Baby

By Gregory Keer

Dear Ari,

As you sleep in my arms, I'm amazed at how light you feel. I stare at your tiny body, so fragile that a gust of wind could hoist you into the air. I love this feeling of protecting you and dreaming of all I have in store for you.

You are my third son and I will use what I've learned so far to make your family experience worthy of your miraculous existence. I do have some phenomenal team members for this effort – your mommy, who cares for you like the sun nourishes the earth; your brother Benjamin, who already watches out for you like a gentle sentinel; and your brother Jacob, who refers to you as "my baby" and giggles with delight at your every sigh. That's not to mention the doting grandparents who view you as a gift and the close friends who astonish us with their support.

I will nurture and teach you. But, as with your brothers, I intend to help you thrive in an often-difficult society. That's why your mommy and I have named you Ari, which means "lion." It's our hope that you will grow strong and pounce on every opportunity to do well for yourself and others.

For now, I'm content just cradling you, basking in your warmth and listening to the little creature noises you make in place of the loud proclamations you will soon roar. Perhaps it's because you are the last (though certainly not least) child your Mommy and I plan to have, I am intent on recording in my memory a

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