Dear Vice…It’s me, Jaxon.
Yes, that’s right my little political preschooler exercised his right as an American Citizen in March 2014 when he asked me to help him write a letter to the Vice President of the United States. And it wasn’t just some little, “Hi, how are you”, type of letter. Jax had a bone to pick. Well, maybe not a bone exactly. I mean, Jax says and he and the Vice President are best friends, after all. But he had a complaint. And this complaint was inspired by my trip to Washington, when I was advocating for Crohn’s & Colitis on Capitol Hill. Jax decided that even though he couldn’t go, he would still make sure his voice was heard for Crohn’s & Colitis.
Now the fact that my four year old even had the idea to write to the Vice President about changing laws, still blows my mind. Children know what to do and how to do it. They are listening and learning every single little second. They can’t help but take it all in. It’s up to us as adults to make sure they are soaking in truths, examples & principles that will enrich their lives, hearts and soul. And I know I am going to make quite a few mistakes when it comes to raising another human being, but every now and again, I can get it right. This was one of those times.
Okay so Jax said, “Mom. I want to needa write a letter to Vice.” Vice was what he use to call the Vice President, because they were friends. I mean when you’re friends with the Vice President, that’s clearly what you call him. So, I told him I would help him write it out after I was done packing. He said, “No I’m gonna tell you my words and you write it down. But you have to do it right now.” I guess he didn’t want to forget what he wanted to say. I pulled out a notepad and pen and waited for my little demacrab to state his case. And this is what he said:
Dear Vice,
It’s me Jaxon. I’m not three any more I am four. There are some people that have Crohn’s & colitis like my mom. It’s not good. Everybody gets really sick and the kids get too sad everyday. Some days my mom goes to the hospital. And then Jaxon is only with UmMa with no mommy and daddy at home with me. That’s not good. Can you talk to pwesident Obama and all the senators and Michelle Obama about making Bill into a law and so everybody won’t be so sick with Crohn’s and colitis anymore. And maybe they can make the law for them to be better and not in the hospital all the time. Thank you. I love you.
Love,
Jaxon
Needless to say I shared this with some of my friends at The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and we cried. And then I mailed it off to the Vice President. Well, July 17, 2014 (my birthday ironically), The Vice President wrote Jaxon back! Yes, people, Hippo got a letter from his best friend Vice. And here’s the summary of the event. Jax’s face lit up. He read the entire letter out loud. Didn’t understand why some guy named Joseph R. Biden signed his letter form Vice President Joe Biden. He then told me and my grandmother that people need to start calling him Vice President Joe Biden, only. Then he stated that, “Obama & Biden are the coolest President’s ever. And Wolf Blitzer is the coolest Washington D.C. news guy ever.” And then about an hour after he opened his letter he exclaimed, “I know what Vice President Joe Biden was trying to tell me in his letter. He said be a good citizen and always help others. Mom, he’s telling me to keep being a good super hero!!” And when I expressed surprise that the vice president knew his secret identity. Jax simply said, “Of course he does. He’s my best friend!”
Thank you, Mr. Vice President for creating the greatest moment of Jaxon’s life and inspiring him to be the best superhero he can be!
