The TriDad Life

Dear Beanpod,

You are keeping the time in our family. We measure the progress in our life by the pace of your development. Your Mom and I get such joy every day to watch you look around and experience the newness of everything around you. Being your Dad gives me inspiration, and gives me pause. Life and all of its moments are precious. We’re always learning.

I was motivated to write to you this evening because something historical happened, and I wanted to use it as an opportunity to share a bit of perspective with you. Tonight, the greatest season in the history of the Detroit Lions football team came to an end. It was a glorious ride that ended earlier than we would have hoped. But at the same time, I can’t help but smile at all this season puts into perspective. Something is happening in Detroit.

Your Mom and I both grew up here in Michigan, which more or less has been defined by what’s going on in Detroit. For a long time, the narrative about the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan has not been too kind. For a brief history – A couple generations ago, even before your grandparents time, Detroit was an important city, known around the world for producing this new thing called the “automobile” that transformed human interactions and lifestyle. This led to a generation of prosperity, and a proud reputation of Detroit as being the world’s “car city.” It drove our economy, and our livelihood. It worked well for a time.

But things changed. The world adapted, and eventually Detroit was lapped. Jobs became harder to come by as production moved abroad. Detroit struggled to adapt, and with that struggle came a steadily decreasing population and a shrinking economy. Decade after decade, prosperity declined, and a once booming metropolis regressed into an empty shell.

For most of my life, Detroit has been ridden off. The world had passed us by. They said it couldn’t come back. There were empirical truths to this. Population declined in the last 60 years from over 2 million people to less than 700,000. Blight seemed to just grow like a disease for decades. One poignant example I remember was how far real estate prices had fallen. Over ten years ago, when I was living in China, there were periods of time when Chinese investors were purchasing lots and homes in Detroit for the “price of a pair of leather shoes.”

I watched and waited. I was fascinated with Detroit. It had a name known the world over, which I learned is invaluable.

Just when you think someone is counted out, that’s when they tend to surprise you. Right as homes were being sold at bargain basement prices, back in 2013, things were starting to change. People realigned and were put into new places. New political and business leaders emerged and aligned to reimagine Detroit and its assets. The course was set for a comeback that continues to this day.

When your Dad left Beijing in 2018, the place I wanted to be was Detroit. I had become a “city rat,” and I was excited to have a connection to this city close to where I grew up that seemed to be in the midst of something special.

This “something special” is assuredly still going on in Detroit.

Which, albeit in a roundabout way, brings me back to this season, and the Detroit Lions. Beanpod, you are growing up in a home of sports fans. Your Dad gets attached to his teams, I guess I can’t help it. For as long as I can remember, the Detroit Lions have been a joke. You can just ask your grandpas about it. But something has changed in the last few years. Under new leadership, the vision for what the Detroit Lions can be has been reimagined. It has been reimagined with a vision so great that even us fans can believe it can be true. It’s been amazing to experience it as a collective.

More than just the results on the field, I see it as a part of the narrative that is happening in Detroit today. It’s bigger than football. It’s about people coming together, believing in something. I believe that the management our team is under also understands this, which has helped to in turn drive its success. Believing in the collective of the city, of the narrative. Enjoying the opportunity to engage in something bigger, something more. This is what builds a great people, a great city.

So, beanpod, as I write this letter, I’m wearing a few hats. As a Detroit Lions fan, I’m bitterly disappointed. I wanted so much for my team to continue on to the Super Bowl, which would be the first we would have ever experienced.

But as a citizen, and as a father, I’m so happy. I’m grateful of what my fandom provides me – an opportunity to put it into the context of something bigger. It makes me proud of the Detroit Lions. It will help me sleep better tonight, anyways.

The future is bright for Detroit, as a city and as a football team. There’s so much to be celebrated, and so much to look forward to. Somehow, someday, the Detroit Lions WILL play in the Super Bowl. In the meantime, we can and should appreciate the massive steps forward that make this city exciting to live in again.

I look forward to our many trips together to this great American city.

Love,

Dad