“If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work.” Thich Nhat Hanh
“Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.” Dalai Lama
Today is your birthday, Dad. You would have been 90 years old. It was ten years ago today the last time I wished you a happy birthday and was able to hear your voice. You were so happy about reaching your 80th birthday. Little did we know when we talked that day that three short months later you would be gone from us without warning. It has been quite a tumultuous decade.
I am sure we would have talked many times about so many different things like we always did. I know politics would have been at the top of our list. You would have been appalled at the way Colin Powell was treated by the Bush Administration. You were an old Army man and you would have expected that the government would have told him the truth about Iraq and not sent him to lie to our allies. I can hear you raging now. I remember how excited you were when I told you he was coming to the bookstore where I was working and I would try and get you an autographed copy of his book. How proud you were when I was able to send you the autographed book. I can still see it on the bookshelf. I think you would have agreed with Colin Powell about Barak Obama and in spite of telling Mom that you were going to reregister as a Republican we both know you would have continued to vote Democrat. Hey how about Indiana actually going Blue?
Your children are doing okay. We got your wife to retire finally. Of course we had the help of a little black cat that has wormed her way into Mom’s heart. I bet you would have liked Pixie but of course you would never admit to Mom that you did. Your oldest son’s politics have gotten even further to the right but as you always said his head is up in the clouds and locked. You have an English daughter-in-law now. You two would probably have some interesting conversations. Your youngest child celebrated 25 years of marriage and is a published author now. It was a hard fight but we finally got some help for your next to youngest child. Government regulations and red tape are the pits aren’t they?
I know you would have been thrilled with the way your only grandchild has turned out. She has triumphed over adversity and is on her way to a Masters degree in psychology/Human Development. She has changed the way that many people view the homeless after being dumped by her ex. She now has a wonderful husband and the father that her three children deserve. She has become politically active and has dedicated her life to helping others. You would be so proud of her. I know I am.
And your only daughter has turned into you. I am the one they all come to now to help with problems. I am the shoulder they cry on. I am the one surfing the web to find answers to all sorts of problems. I guess it is fitting that I have taken over your library here. Of course I brought a lot of my books with me but many are ones that you and I shared. We lost one of our favorites authors, Tony Hillerman. I am rereading some of his books and remembering the New Mexico that you and I loved to explore when I was a child and we lived there. You and I loved exploring the ruins and we soaked up the history. We did the same with the California missions.
“Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.” Dalai Lama
Today is your birthday, Dad. You would have been 90 years old. It was ten years ago today the last time I wished you a happy birthday and was able to hear your voice. You were so happy about reaching your 80th birthday. Little did we know when we talked that day that three short months later you would be gone from us without warning. It has been quite a tumultuous decade.
I am sure we would have talked many times about so many different things like we always did. I know politics would have been at the top of our list. You would have been appalled at the way Colin Powell was treated by the Bush Administration. You were an old Army man and you would have expected that the government would have told him the truth about Iraq and not sent him to lie to our allies. I can hear you raging now. I remember how excited you were when I told you he was coming to the bookstore where I was working and I would try and get you an autographed copy of his book. How proud you were when I was able to send you the autographed book. I can still see it on the bookshelf. I think you would have agreed with Colin Powell about Barak Obama and in spite of telling Mom that you were going to reregister as a Republican we both know you would have continued to vote Democrat. Hey how about Indiana actually going Blue?
Your children are doing okay. We got your wife to retire finally. Of course we had the help of a little black cat that has wormed her way into Mom’s heart. I bet you would have liked Pixie but of course you would never admit to Mom that you did. Your oldest son’s politics have gotten even further to the right but as you always said his head is up in the clouds and locked. You have an English daughter-in-law now. You two would probably have some interesting conversations. Your youngest child celebrated 25 years of marriage and is a published author now. It was a hard fight but we finally got some help for your next to youngest child. Government regulations and red tape are the pits aren’t they?
I know you would have been thrilled with the way your only grandchild has turned out. She has triumphed over adversity and is on her way to a Masters degree in psychology/Human Development. She has changed the way that many people view the homeless after being dumped by her ex. She now has a wonderful husband and the father that her three children deserve. She has become politically active and has dedicated her life to helping others. You would be so proud of her. I know I am.
And your only daughter has turned into you. I am the one they all come to now to help with problems. I am the shoulder they cry on. I am the one surfing the web to find answers to all sorts of problems. I guess it is fitting that I have taken over your library here. Of course I brought a lot of my books with me but many are ones that you and I shared. We lost one of our favorites authors, Tony Hillerman. I am rereading some of his books and remembering the New Mexico that you and I loved to explore when I was a child and we lived there. You and I loved exploring the ruins and we soaked up the history. We did the same with the California missions.
There are so many things that I would love to sit down and talk to you about. There are so many movies I want to show you. There are so many new books that I want you to read. In the time we had together we explored outer space and wandered through the weird and unexplained. You and I traded so many books on the Bermuda Triangle and other weird things. We both love a good ghost story. And though I miss you so much I know as long as I can remember to think and wonder and explore that you will always be with me. The picture is for you Dad and is called The Golden Years because that is what we had together. Happy birthday, Daddy.
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