To my Children...

 I hope this will find you in good company and in good health. It would seem that I have found myself in a slight predicament.

 I, your father, am an Atheist. Most of those around me are not, don't care, or are too at peace to be conscious of us in the minority. I do have concerns for you two. I worry about your minds, so precious and malleable, Your mother, is too agnostic to see that you are not 18 yet, you shouldn't have fairytales put upon you. Your mother's family is steeped in tradition. I am not sure what the rest of the family thinks, though, I think there is a bit of "Well, Just talking about it won't hurt." I have no idea if rebuttals are apart of those conversations or not, allowing for thoughts of "It may be, and it may not be." I begrudgingly allow Santa to be apart your life, my son. Hopefully what I can teach you will rub off on your sister, to question everything, question what you read, what you hear, what you are expected to believe and learn to know how to believe the first time, when and when not to. We send you to a Xtian daycare, cuz that's where we can afford it. Im not worried that you will be whipped into a religious mind set. I am worried that religion will play a role at all, "Cuz that's the way it is." and "What harm will it do, he's just a boy." If I can get you taught well, then raising your sister will be easier. The way you look after her as really quite admirable. I am working on getting some books to read to you two, bed time stories and such. This world can be a really scary place and having the right armor is important. Arming yourself with the correct questions is essential to survival...mental and emotional survival. The tinge of fear I believe to be real, for you two, fear of you two being so young and impressionable, so easily mentally and emotionally pillaged with God, this God, that God, Which God today? Amongst the fear though, I do see the light at the end of the tunnel. There's the reason, logic, and critical thinking that I hope you learn better then I have. It would appear that missed that boat when I was a child. Somehow I learn the bad habits of believing whatever I heard. Its been a long hard road for me to unlearn those bad habits and learn better habits, learn the correct habits. My Journey hasn't been smooth, and looking back, do I wish it had been any other way. I took my lumps and now I am happy for them. You will be spare my lumps, and I will teach you to weather the verbal hurricanes of the religiously indignant.

 I tend to ramble I know, I have so much to say to you both that its hard for me to focus. I leave you with this thought:

What a wonderful world this is when the sour and bitter veil has been lifted.

I love you both, So very much
Your Father.