John Burkholder

  I rarely make mistakes. I am one of those people who checks out every move, option or path before committing to a decision. As my wife puts it, "It isn't often you make a mistake, but when you do, it is epic." My wife had been writing letters to my adult children for a few months. I'm more of a texting dad but decided it was time to give my wife a run for her Parent of the Year trophy. I planned everything out so perfectly, it was going to be heartfelt, memories, they would keep with them for all time...because my competitive nature with my wife runs deep. During lunch one day, I decided to walk over the the Art Institute of Chicago to get some ideas for my artsy children. I walked through each gallery looking at the paintings, taking some photos, and reading each plaque explain who the artist was and if there was some sort of story involved. Many of them didn't match the personality for each. Portraits were just dead people on canvas, the sculptures (although i

 Even the most experienced house remodeler can be surprised by what the world has to provide it. Tearing apart the 1990s version of a kitchen was more work than she expected. The cabinets were screwed directly into the studs and the electrical was placed in locations that didn't make any sense for the modern kitchen. So instead of just replacing the cabinets, Alex demolished to the studs. That is when Alex noticed the envelope. An unmarked stationery sealed with a gold sticker on the back. Even though it sat in the wall for decades, it appears to be in good condition and oddly enough, waiting for someone to find and open it. As she reached down to pull the envelope, she also noticed a small wristlet hanging from a nail next to the envelope. Walking back to her couch, Alex grabs a wine goblet and the bottle of Merlot to sit down and open the envelope. After pouring herself a healthy glass, she peals back the sticker and opens the envelope. Taking another sip, she unfolds the letter.