18.

 Tomorrow evening my third child will turn 18.  That means I've "raised" three of my four kids to adulthood.  Just one to go.  Or at least something like that.

Jon was born with little fanfare.  It was a straightforward and fast birth.  Naming him was a different story, however.  That took a few days and his grandfather was the one who suggested "Jonathan" as a name.  I added the "Henry" part.  

Jon was always an individual.  He didn't ever care what other people thought about his choices in clothing, music, activities.  Nope, Jon always did his own thing.  And his own thing was often a little quirky for sure!  

There is no better storyteller than Jon. Sure, many of his stories are unadulterated crap and you never know if he's telling the truth or telling a convincing story that resembles the truth.  He's fooled me plenty.  He inherited this skill from his Pop.  Maybe a little bit from me too.  Ahem.  Let's just say he came by it honestly.

On my kids' birthdays, I like to share a few bits of wisdom for them to ruminate on in the upcoming year.  

1.  Know your boundaries.  With people, beer, leisure time.  Don't let anyone convince you that they know better than you do or that your limits aren't ok.  Your gut won't lie to you.

2.  Any job worth doing is worth doing well.  Don't be a half-asser.

3.  People will disappoint you.  Know when to move on and learn how to let go without guilt. 

4.  Life will be unfair.  Have integrity anyway and ALWAYS do the right thing.  It might not be the easy thing either.

5.  Don't eat nonfat food.  Always go with full fat.  It's better for you and it tastes better.

6.  Save your money and time for things that will last.  Temporary isn't worth it.

7.  Try to always smell good.

8.  Never, ever stop learning.  There's always something more to learn.  

9.  Clean up as you go.  It's easier to keep things tidy and organized if you put in the work every day rather than waiting until things are a huge mess.

10.  Do not ever take yourself or life too seriously.  There is always an opportunity for fun.  Know how to find it.

Happy birthday, Jon!  Keep on being you.  I love you!