Reblogged from ‘You’ve Been Hooked!‘

An Open Letter To Ellen DeGeneres

Dearest Ellen,

Hello. How are you? That’s great to hear, seriously. Listen, I know you’ve got a full plate in front of you right now (Okay, maybe not literally; you don’t look like you eat that much, to be honest. However, I stand by the statement.), especially considering how many challenges you have to deal with right now.

  • Voicing animated fish is no mean feat. (How do they record your voice underwater anyway?)
  • Arranging for Sofía Vergara to be “accidentally” deported so you can be the reigning CoverGirl has to be a lot of work.
  • Teaching millions of people to dance like no one is watching while hosting a kick-butt talk show must be exhausting. And sweaty, no doubt.

Normally I use this forum to write about my life as a bellman in Niagara Falls, but today I want to write to you from my heart.

I’ve been married to the love of my life for eighteen years.

I make a comfortable living serving the public in a place that offers me new possibilities every single day. The phrase “Never a dull moment” appears to have been designed specifically for my life.

I’ve had my writing published on some great websites and I’ve even published a book.

But my greatest joy, the one accomplishment I’m most proud of, has nothing to do with fame, fortune or personal milestones. Being a father has challenged me in ways I could never imagined, but it has also made me realize what love is truly all about.

When you love someone with every fiber of your being, the quest for their happiness directs you to places you never knew existed. When you’re a parent you want to see your children realize their dreams, regardless of the cost.

My 14-year-old daughter is an old soul, possessed of more compassion and wisdom than most of the adults I’ve ever met. She genuinely cares about the state of the world, especially the plight of children and animals. Sarah is the type of kid every parent wishes their child would be.

She is also a brilliant writer whose greatest wish is to see her series, The Misadventures of Misery, in print after years of scribbling in notebooks and typing away at her computer in her room.

Read more on You’ve Been Hooked! via An Open Letter To Ellen DeGeneres.