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April 7

Many famous people were born on April 7 including the following:
  • Jackie Chan
  • Russell Crowe
  • Billie Holiday
  • James Garner
  • Martyn Littlewood
  • Francis Ford Coppola
  • Jerry Brown
  • Tony Dorsett
  • William Wordsworth
  • David Frost 
  • Walter Winchell
but most important of all to me is my son, Dack.




Thirty-two years ago on a Thursday he entered the world.  He was battered up a bit during delivery; his ears had been pinned forward as I carried him and he had bruising on his face because apparently it was quite a struggle to get out.  But he was such a wonderful baby to care for.  He was hungry all the time, but feed him and he was as happy as could be.  Even as an infant, his needs were straightforward.

By the age of two he had a full head of very blond hair that bleached out beautifully in the sun during the summer.  A neighbour nicknamed him ¨White Cloud¨ and that name stuck.  At about the same time we had a litter of puppies and he loved to crawl into the kennel  (mama dog knew he meant no harm) and the puppies would jump on him and he'd giggle for what seemed liked hours on end.  

His most notable trait in childhood to this day is a dogged stubbornness.  The wonderful thing about this stubbornness is its subtly.  It isn't in your face, at least 98 percent of the time, but if you look back you will notice a consistent drumbeat toward a goal or objective.  His trademark comment as a child was, ¨I can, if I can,¨  and he lived by it.  When getting a teaching job in the city of his choice in his field was nearly impossible, he simply decided to learn and become certified in a new field.   How this person became so patient in a household filled with impatient people still baffles me.

His most endearing quality to me is his love for family.  He has declared he intends to be that guy, the one who is at the center of binding family together.  If many or any of us are available, he and his wife will host a meal that is always so relaxed one can't help but enjoy oneself.   Most of us know this kind of family, how lucky for me that it is one of my sons.

He has plugged away completing an undergraduate, second licensure and graduate degrees while working.  His love for helping under-privileged students, sports and the outdoors is evident in everything he does.  He said to me once ¨I am a simple man.¨  One need not be complex in the complex world.  I am so thankful to have this grounded and self-aware man in my life.


Being the life of the party, his trademark.
Happy Birthday, Dack!

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