On Your 91st Birthday

I have been thinking about my father a great deal the last several days. Today is my father's birthday. He would have been 90 years old today. At one level it *is* so very long since he has been a physical presence in my life, but in the same vein, he has been a mental/emotional/philosophical presence in my life every day. With he now being 91, it is so odd to think about. I miss him so very much.  I wish I could have him here physically today. 

It is ever more striking how I can see in myself more and more ways in which I am very much like my father and other ways in which I am very much like my mother. The characteristics I have that are especially like that of my father include a general quietness to my demeanor and a rather contemplative personality. Physically, my teeth are like my father's. My eyes are much like my father's and my ears and forehead are very similar to that of my father's. Of course, my enjoyment of pipes and pipe tobacco is something I learned from my father as well.

I will be traveling to the other end of the county today to visit my father and mother's grave site. Even though it is quite cold outside (below freezing), I am planning to sit at the grave site for quite a while and talk to (with) my father on this his birthday. I am also planning to take with me, one of his favorite pipes that I inherited from him. I shall smoke that pipe while I am visiting with him at the grave site.

I miss you so very much, Dad! I wish you a very Happy Birthday.

PipeTobacco