Our harmony is now a triad. Our firstborn, Sophia Róisín Kahn Hur. Born on the 2nd day of the 8th month of the year of the Wood Dragon. A waxing crescent.
She was conceived a twin but she lost hers in utero. He carries on in her and her mother. Now is her own twin.
She shares lost brothers like her father and grandfather before her. She is the 38th generation of her clan, the Yangcheon Hurs, the second of our line to be born in America.
I hope she is better than me at everything. Brave enough to be as kind and giving as her mother, beautiful, strong, and brilliant. Fearless with love above all else.
My favorite daydream? I’d love to almost get to see her become the first human to fly herself to the moon and come back. It’s not enough to go to the moon, you must return.
Sophie, I want you to be proud of me. Because I am so proud of you. You are perfect. We have always loved you. All la glory.
#baby #babygirl #birthannouncement #birth #theband #haroumihosono
Sophia, you are perfect. Happy Belated #nationaldaughtersday Sophie. But then again with you, every day is national daughter’s day. #daughter #babygirl
Happy birthday to my soulmate, my favorite dinner date, and the most amazing dad to our little Sophie. Watching you and her grow together across the table this year has filled my heart in ways I never imagined. Every laugh, every tiny moment, every bite shared—reminds me how lucky I am to share this life with you. Here’s to many more meals, memories, and years together. I love you endlessly! @deltavolt
It’s been ten years, time still thieves and I still miss you. Every single tour I’ve done since the one you passed, I have relived that trauma, talking to you on your last day, hearing how sad your voice sounded, and listening to my father’s voice break the news outside of a Whole Foods. I still don’t like walking into one. “Mother and Child Reunion,” by Paul Simon. The whole first solo album.
It’s queer how your memory and your body remembers grief, how the subconscious tries to protect itself, asking itself who else am I going to lose before I leave home? Every week and night before leaving to go away on tour or even a long weekend trip, I felt that silent dread, asking myself if maybe it’s better not to leave home.
I would gladly have given them all up in less than a heartbeat to have one more day we were all together so I could introduce you to your niece and watch you hold her and hear you say her name. I remember that dream last December you kissed her on her cheek.
This grief is mine, it’s not for anyone else. It’s not a piece of emotional clutter that I want to donate because it doesn’t spark joy. It is my emotional house; I like it a little messy, I distrust minimalism for its dishonesty. I like the colors even if they clash; I want it lived in, a little weird, and blurry at the edges from wear marks. That’s how I know true happiness, it is only understood when one knows profound grief.
Like my father and mother before, and Sophie after, we have all lost brothers. It’s been hard these days on mom after we lost our aunt suddenly this summer. But we’re carrying each other, and on, she’s talking again with her sisters. There is always much left to be done. We must live.
Don’t forget that you’re 형 now. For 121 moons. I’m sorry I’ve lost count along the way. Everyone brings us closer back together.
Laura and I often laugh about all the pranks you pull on big days with us. We really know, cos it hits us both at the same time. It’s how we know you’re still here with us. You would have loved her. You two have a lot in common, I think it’s one of the reasons I was meant to meet her.
I’ll be seeing you. I love you.
생일 축하합니다. Happy birthday mom, I think my first year as a girl dad helped me understand you more than any before. I’m sorry that it should have taken so long, but I’m so glad that I do now. Thank you always for everything; for watching Sophie when you can, and raising all of us; I have said how the first year is the hardest as a parent but I’ll say it again, it was nothing like yours, when you were alone with me and dad in Pittsburgh the furthest away from all our family. I’m proud to be your son.
Here with you and the fam, it’s a breeze. I love you.
Sophie, thank you for being my first born. I cried the first time I saw you. It’s been the hardest year of my life learning how to be your father. That makes it the best, because it has started to make me the best that I can be. This takes time.
Above all with you, it will be my duty to practice softness; proudly as it requires even more strength in this world that thrives on fear and distraction. That’s where the real love is. It is the only thing that separates us from the reptile.
I’m working on myself so I can be there. I must so you learn well how it is to be loved; in our house you must always feel safe, loved, and free. So you may grow as curious as sunlight.
First things first, we must learn to speak and walk before we can sing and run. I see how you look and listen as you’ve grown this year, you always look above and below in every new space, not just what’s plainly before. That’s my girl, always curious. That is your strength, I see it in your eyes unfurling. Never lose yours, it is our light to shine.
Don’t worry, I will be there to hold you if you fall and dry your tears. For your next year, there will be many firsts, I must try be as present as I can for all them, as softly as would any great father for a great daughter. Because you’ve always been.
I will, so at the end of all your long days, you may go to dream every night with endless wonder thinking, “what will be tomorrow’s great new adventure?” “Let’s go, mommy and daddy. I can’t wait to find them with you, I love you.”
Remember, we have always loved you, Sophie.
You’re my favorite. Best wife. Best friend. Best mom. Best thing that ever happened to me. Happy birthday. I’m so glad that I get to share them with you.
You’re the best. I know because see it everyday because of how I see how you care for our darling. I see so much of her in you. It’s how she holds my hand and hugs me. Can you see the little girl that you once were in her? Of the many mysteries of life I wonder about, this will be one of the best I will ponder for the rest of my days.
The kindness I see in your eyes is in hers. Look at the family we’re making. Our love language. I believe in us. I believe in you. Your crystal vision. Remember, your love is a gift. Everyday. @lauracherryhur
We’ll let grief be a fallen leaf at the dawning of the day.
It’s a long way til November, but today the largest City of the Union elected a young South Asian immigrant as its candidate for mayor in its Democratic Primary. It would seem that to be born of a Muslim immigrant family in Uganda and to run as a Democratic Socialist against 21st century Tammany Hall, beating billionaires and corporate SuperPACs with actual people knocking on a million and a half doors would be one of the most improbable long shots.
Especially for someone like me, who saw the smoke and wreckage in South Manhattan from Rutgers on 9/11, the subsequent decades of Islamophobia, Xenophobia, Racism, economic crashes, failed wars, and a pandemic with these endless playoff series of culture wars that has eroded the body politic and only made tech and podcast bros richer.
This is why we, who resolve to never bow down to fascists and reactionaries, look to the future without fear. I am rather proud of Young New York City today. I can see many little kids today, who look a little closer to Mamdani or even myself, just might dream a little bigger tonite about tomorrow, and that is beautiful. #newyork #nyc #immigrant @zohrankmamdani
Happy #grandfathersday to all those who celebrate. Perhaps for you this #fathersday has become the sweetest yet. Like all good things worthwhile to be and do in this life, it takes practice. Or is it devotion?
I love that we got to take Sophie to her first Phillie’s game and see them shut out the Blue Jay’s. If I can be half the father you were to me, I’ll be doing really good.
On this first Father’s Day, I want you to know how much I treasure every moment we share as a family. You’re an amazing husband and an even more amazing dad. Sophie is so lucky to have you, and so am
I. 💕 Watching you become a daddy has been one of the sweetest things I’ve ever seen....Who knew I could fall more in love with you just by watching you love our daughter. Happy Father’s Day to the best appa in the world. 🌎 @deltavolt
