Fifty years ago today

On June 28, 1958 my parents were married in Richmond, Virginia. I thought this was worth noting in spite of the fact that my parents were divorced about 17 years later. My mom went on to marry a good guy, and is happily married with him today (see my blog posting on June 15). My father died the day before his 72 birthday about 5 years ago.

So, while no one else is paying attention, this date is obviously important to me, since I was born a little over a year later (yes, I will be 50 next August 25... mark your calendar). And I feel sure it is important to my siblings, whether or not they are aware of it.

My dad was an attorney in Fairfax, Virginia. I think he was good at it, too. When I was about 8 or 9 years old, he had the opportunity to appear before the Virginia State Supreme Court, and he took me out of school to go watch him present his case (which I can't remember what it was about, but he won). I was really bored, but very proud of him. And really happy for the excuse to miss a day of school. My dad's gift to me was a true appreciation for the truth, and for the tenacity of the people who started our country and the miracle of its inception.

My mother is an artist. I love her work, and have many of her paintings in my home. In fact, it might not be a stretch to say that our house is her personal gallery. One of the paintings I have had since I moved to Idaho is of me when I was two years old. I love it. I think she hates it, but too bad. It continues to hang in my house. My mother's gift to me was a love of arts in all forms, and the creative process.

Its funny (maybe not so funny, but interesting) how as we are growing up we do not appreciate what our parents have done for us, how we hate them sometimes, and certainly have our trials with them as we try to separate our lives and become our own beings. But at some point, regardless of what might have been wrong, we find there was so much right. I think my two brothers and my sister and I all turned out to be very cool people.

So mom and dad, thanks for everything. I love you both.