David's Day

There is no appropriate gift for a man who doesn't like chocolate, and yet I am still miffed that I couldn't come up with something special for David. Children celebrating their 5th birthday are showered with gifts, but folks who face their 91st birthday know better. Ninety-one. You have seen your birth date for over nine decades...that alone merits a prize with a gigantic bow on top!

I have been feeling my age lately. Too tired to make dinner, taking a shower feels like a chore, and a trip up the stairs better be important to drag my tired body there.

It is humbling to sit at the feet of a man who endures incredible pain to scale a step. He knows it will hurt, so he plans his day around it. Always dressed to the nines, he never complains about all the steps in his split level house. The house he built for he and his wife, Jean, 35 years ago. He just seems grateful to have had the chance to move around freely, grateful to have made a memory there once.

I didn't leave David with anything, but I took so much when I left. When he smiles, I believe him. His giggle warms me like no one else. When he speaks, I am eager to act on his advice. When he admires my children, I blush like a King has given them a compliment. When he tears up, I am overwhelmed by his love for me.

Happy Birthday, David. I am grateful for your birth.