Dear Alyssa

Dear Alyssa,

You have the most beautiful eyes, in the whole, wide world. 

Do you know how I know that? 

I can see your heart in them.

I’m not talking about your beat-beat heart (you probably knew that). I’m talking about your invisible heart that breathes and grows and aches and loves and sometimes sends $100 to help kids with illnesses write books. I’m talking about the heart I saw when I read your letter yesterday.

The Jolly Troop read your letter, too, and guess what? They all cried! But they weren’t sad tears—they were MIGHTY tears; they were INSPIRED tears; they were tears that could glimpse the future and see many, powerful things brought to light by children like you. Have you ever had tears and cries like that? 

I hope you keep your eyes as close to how they are now, as you grow up. When we grow up, sometimes things change in us. Sometimes, as grown ups, our eyes change and we want to see our names on things. “Growing up, changing eyes” isn’t a bad thing—in fact, it’s very good and exciting—but only if we are able to keep some of our childhood, heart-filled eyes hidden inside our grown up eyes. 

I also want you to know how significant your $100 donation is. I know it is a lot of money for you because I was 11 once, too. Your donation is MIGHTY. It is PERFECT. Do you know why? Because right now, we can’t make another book because we don’t have enough money. So when your letter came in the mail, I cried because how did you know how much we needed it? Will you please thank the little fairie that whispered in your golden ears for us? You’re $100 is going to help us with the next book!

I hope I get to meet you someday, Alyssa. I want to look into your wonderful eyes and see what you see. Why? Because your eyes have changed my heart and now, today, my heart wants to see differently.

Your friend. Always. 
Dallas