More than one day

My dad and my brother, Christmas '05.

Five years ago I forgot to call my dad for his birthday. I called him the next day when I realized it but we never did really get around to talking about him and his birthday, instead we talked about the shock of what had happened the day before. And now, 5 years later, when my dad should be celebrating another wonderful and blessed year of life the rest of our country remembers the tragedy of the twin towers and the horrible loss experienced not only as a country, but for the entire world. My dad's birthday is September 11th. It sucks. Personally I can't think of any date worse today except to have been born 09.11.01. People that complain about a December/Christmas birthday generate a response of little sympathy from me, trust me, it could be SO much worse.

My dad has another 50-something birthday today but there will be little celebrating for it. It's just too strange, how do you celebrate on a day like today? How do you celebrate life while remembering the nearly 3000 lives that ended? But my dad is a unique person. Gentle, strong and compassionate with a great sense of humor. I will never forget the stories about how he acted surprised at a surprised birthday party when he knew all about it, raved about popsicle stick creations as though they were masterpiece sculptures, and studied the intricate details of Crayola cards with backward letters as though they expressed Hallmark sentimentality. Today he somehow honors the memory of thousands simply by having his birthday on the same day. He'll never upstage their deaths with his life but expresses great respect for them, those that loved them and our country choosing to celebrate is birthday in humble ways on other days and grateful for the beautiful days. Life isn't lived on just one day after all.



Happy Birthday Dad, I love you. I tried to post a picture but blogger wouldn't let me.

I tried to include a picture here from the newspaper in our area of what I was doing 5 years ago when I forgot to call my dad but I'll have to try to post it later. They sent it to me a few weeks ago to ask what was going through my head at the prayer vigil at my church, what I was doing now and how 09.11.01 changed my life. I didn't know what to say, the picture is of me praying, what more is there?