Sweet 16, Taylor!

I did it for Trevor, now it’s Taylor’s turn.

Just like Trevor was the little brother I never had, Taylor was the little sister I never had. Unlike Trevor, however, I spent a lot of time with Taylor as a baby. Both Bret and Melanie worked, so my mom (Grandma Burningham) babysat her nearly every weekday. And anytime I had a day off from school, and all through summer, I was there with her.

I remember spending a lot of time at Bret & Melanie’s townhouse, and also the drive to and from our house with “Tay-toe-bug” in the backseat, and we knew that “Love Potion #9” or “Goodbye Cruel World” were sure to play on Oldies 94.1. I also remember watching Pocahontas a bazillion times!

But the favorite memory I want to share of Taylor occurred when I was about 11, and she was less than a year old. She was standing against the back of the couch, and I was supposed to be watching her. Suddenly, she fell back, hit the couch, then flipped and landed on the floor. She was crying so hard, and I felt so bad, and everyone was upset at me for letting it happen.

I ran off to my room, where I started to cry. Moments later, my mom brought Taylor in my room to show me that she was okay, and that she had stopped crying. As I continued to cry, Taylor with a sweet look on her face, reached out and touched my tears with her tiny fingertips.

Taylor, it has been amazing watching you grow up and mature. You seem to have a lot more wisdom than I had at your age. I hope and pray for the best for you. And I know you’re at a difficult age right now, but I also know that you are strong enough to make it through.

I have so many things that I would like to say, advice I would like to give, but I’ll just say this: listen to you parents. I’ve known them longer than you have, and I promise you, they are some of the most caring, understanding, and forgiving people you will ever know. They only want what is best for you, and there is nothing you could do to make them love you less. So trust them! They’re not perfect. No one is. But learn from their mistakes and their triumphs. Believe me, it’s better to learn from others’ mistakes than your own.