Happy Birthday, Son

The Fan's namesake turns 30 today. How did that happen? It's a milestone for sure and the Fan wishes him a very happy birthday.

The Fan Redux is a good kid. He's a big Yankee fan. Wonder where he got that from? He loves baseball and was better at it than his old man. The old man had the same great wheels and played centerfield just as good and stole bases just as good. But the Fan couldn't hit a curve ball. Every time a pitcher threw one, the third base coach would be yelling down, "What are you looking at me for?" The Fan Redux could hit. Oh, and he had a much better arm. He did some pitching. The Fan never pitched.

It wasn't always easy for the Fan Redux, nor for his father. The son often was the center of attention for all the wrong reasons. One little league game comes to mind. The kids were all carrying on in the dugout and the manager was coaching first base. He yelled over to the dugout and told his charges to settle down and the Fan Redux responded by saying, "I'm not doing anything!" Yup, that's the way he was. Instead of the manager being frustrated with all the kids, now he was focused on one kid. And that was how it went most of the time.

The seventh grade was the worst year. That year, the Fan knew the Principal's wardrobe better than the Principal's wife did. It was never awful stuff. It was a million little throwing gum incidents that just killed the innards of a dad. But we all got through it somehow.

But for every Tums induced moment, there was a good one. There were walks to the store and playing catch in the yard or going to Disney together. He turned out to be a good kid. He's got a good heart and is inclined to respect his father for some reason. Kind of hard to beat that.

He's a bit of a slow starter because he doesn't believe he is as smart and as talented as he is. The Fan doesn't believe that because of rose-colored glasses. The talent and the smarts are real. Just the belief in them is not. If he ever takes a hold of that truth, then he will find himself.

We all have a purpose in this life and some times it is difficult for the young to understand. The calling is to excel and to grow and to have an influence that positively impacts those around you. Like many of his generation, he has not seen the purpose of faith and the belief that there is a maker of this universe that has a plan for him. It is hoped that he will, because that will be a great benefit to his growth and success in life.

It's time to put the past behind and the hindrances of our own foibles. It's time to become the person he was intended to be. The Fan still believes. He always has. He always will.

Happy birthday, Son.