Story 2 — Birthday Party
My nephew’s birthday was today, and family is the most important thing in the world to us both. I watched as you picked out the perfect outfit like you were going to your first day of school. I asked you why you were so concerned about it and you told me that the most important thing we can be, is a good example. My heart skipped a beat and got so warm and happy.
This is a core purpose of my life: to be a good example to others, “to experience all we can, and help everyone we can along the way,” as I’ve always said.
You didn’t tell me this because it was what I wanted to hear; it was what you felt in your heart at that moment, and it made mine sing.
Later, we were at the party and singing Happy Birthday. That is the most god-awful song, so you only sing me other, better birthday songs when it’s my birthday. I looked over at you while we were singing, and you were looking at me to see the quirky smile I get when I’m singing it — when I caught you looking for my reaction, we both smiled in a way that can only ever mean “I love you truly, deeply, to my soul, imperfections, quirks, and all.”
It’s a feeling I live for and would do anything to hold onto.
It was time to give my nephew his gift, and you were as excited to watch me share it with him as I was to give it to him. It was a young engineer's kit…
