So it was another birthday, a special one… well, not at home. Yet again, Dad is gone, not around, no surprises, no cake… except at Shepherd.

I sat with my special friend as he wept. What he wants is not an iPod, Apple’s latest phone, a Wii; No, that wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted someone to care… he wanted his Dad to be home to celebrate.

But this birthday was not the same way. There was pain, hurt, trying to be a “man about it”, yet the pain was too much.

But thanks to your support, his friends at Shepherd had a cake for him, a special gift. Yes, I sang happy birthday, but that wasn’t much of a gift.

Sorry though, that is not enough… a tear rolled down his cheek, and mine too.

Love a kid today.

Jay

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So how does a mother bird do it? How does she get the nerve up to push the babies out of the nest? Okay, I admit there are those days for any parent, but really, how hard it is for us as parents to see them grow up? I face that soon with one of my best friends and son, soon heads off to college. Yet this week I dealt with a different situation… not a son biologically, but one I would consider as one, and one of my heroes.

This young staffer continues to grow in leaps and bounds. His ability to break the cycle of poverty and come back to us, having been through our programs, to come back as a staffer moves me. His ability to touch lives is tremendous. Both he and his bride serve here. His desk has been outside my office. Many days when I am frustrated I look at him and am reminded how far he has come and how far he will go. Well it is time for me to push him out of the nest, time for me to watch him soar to places I could never go. So he moves to our new location to become Assistant Director of sports.

Those birds hate that day, but burst with pride as they see them soar. I do. He will help more and soar higher… I will watch with pride and excitement.

Carpe Diem

Jay