Harper Lee | To Kill A Mockingbird | 1960

Dear Atticus,

You are my hero.

You have a quiet courage and resolve to fight for everyone's right to be treated fairly, judged for their actions, not the color of their skin or station in life. A peaceful, kind-hearted man of high morals with the strength to stand up against popular thought, you do what’s right knowing full well the consequences might not be very pleasant.

Eloquent and wise, you lead by example, teaching your children through actions rather than lecture. Long on patience, short on ire, never shielding the truth from your young ones. You are perhaps the best father I have ever known, real or fictional. You embody everything that is good in mankind and inspire greatness in others. You make me want to be a better person.

Thank you. Thank you for existing and being a touchstone by which to judge one’s actions. You are my hero.

Sincerely,
Marie Popichak