This year marked the 25th anniversary of my 50th
birthday, a milestone I’m happy to have reached. After all, I know a lot of
people who never had the privilege of being this old.
And this past week was the golden anniversary of
the day I became a father. For my oldest offspring turned 50 on December 1, and
he and my other progeny have made me proud for half a century.
To celebrate, he hosted a dinner in the Bay Area for his
siblings and a few friends. I attended in spirit with the following ode, read
at the party by my son Steve.
Scott
often toasts folks at parties in rhyme.
His tributes are thoughtful. Majestic.
Sublime.
But tonight,
it is he whom we celebrate.
(I hope that my musings don't seem second
rate.)
The first
of December in seventy-two
Began the
adventures of ... you know who.
Those adventures have taken this lad far and wide,
And I, as his father, have watched with great pride
As he led
the school band, was Christ in a play.
And continued to dazzle me day after day.
From Stanford
to B-school and Germany too,
Australia, triathlons, climb Tetons ... it’s
true!
Then orchestras
called, as you may have heard.
In LA then Portland, that’s not so absurd,
His musical
talent and love of the arts
Have made him a natural to play these big parts.
The birth
date we honor was some time ago.
I've
counted the days, and oh my! Did you know?
It comes to a number … lots more than a few.
It's eighteen thousand, plus two fifty-two.
But age
is a number. Just that. Nothing more.
I'd rather count blessings. Of these I am
sure:
He's
always so loyal, as uncle or friend,
As son or as brother on whom to depend.
Now I've said my piece. I
relinquish the floor.
Oh, wait! There is just one thing more.
We must have a toast, after
these fifty years.
May love and good fortune be yours Scott. Cheers!
I had fun
writing that, and I’m told that it was well received. I’m looking forward to many other milestones yet to come.
