Happy Birthday, Dad!

On Facebook I see people write statuses wishing people happy birthdays who aren’t even on Facebook and therefore will never seen it. I have read heartfelt statuses to friends and family who have died. There is no Facebook in heaven in my friends (at least not my heaven). Although mistaken for a private journal Facebook is incredibly public. 

With that said I want to wish a very happy birthday to my most loyal reader of my blog - my dad! I will not disclose his age, although I’ll be the first to admit he doesn’t look it. Working hard, both mentally and physically, his arms show muscles of a much younger man. His stories, that are easy to listen to, are what show his age. Stories about flying on airplanes when security was minimal and there was no need to show up hours before your flight. Although being the punctual person he his, I do have a memory of being dropped off at an airport three hours before my flight. He has stories about growing up in a time when hanging out the gas station was what guys did. A place to talk about cars and girls too, I assume, because after all back then the gas station wasn’t just a place where you filled your car up, it’s also the place the mechanic actually worked on your car too. He has stories about working in New York City during a time when the mob was at its height…..and that’s all I’m going to say about that, because this blog after all is quite public as well :)

My dad is the one who will send me an email reminding me I haven’t posted anything to the blog in awhile, so being that I just posted yesterday, it may be awhile before he sees this. But, I’m sure he’ll see it before my card arrives in his mailbox (oops, time slipped away, sorry Dad, it’ll get there within the year). 

My dad is social, but chooses to live in his house quietly when he isn’t out visiting with the mailman, bank teller or other people he runs into throughout his day.  My parents were divorced 28 years ago and I figured he’d remarry when hell froze over. That was before he met Lisa a few years ago. He found a woman to listen to his stories, and live quietly in his house with, all while supporting her to reach her dreams; most recently of learning how to drive and get her driver’s license! On the day of their late October wedding there was a blizzard; I wouldn’t call Connecticut hell, but it sure did freeze over that day. The following year there was a hurricane on their anniversary. I guess this is the woman he was suppose to grow old with, one birthday at a time! 

Happy Birthday, Dad, I love you (as do most people who know you)!