Some numbers stand out more than others. Numbers ending in zero, for example. Of the usual multiples of ten, forty seems especially popular. Are you tired? You might want to catch forty winks. Looking for a farmer? Maybe he’s working out in the back forty. Giving something up for lent? I hope you can hang in there for forty days!
When it comes to age, forty is that year when many say that you’re heading over the hill. I remember when I hit that age. After getting over the initial shock, I soon realized that nothing had really changed. Life goes on.
Now I’m thinking about that number again. You see, forty years ago today our first child was born. In those days you didn’t know the sex ahead of time so we had to have two names ready. When the doctor announced that we had a boy, I looked down at Kathy and said, “I guess this is Eric Michael.” Then I felt a tear run down my face.
I guess I can no longer deny that I’m over the hill. But, that doesn’t matter because over the past forty years I’ve had the great joy of watching Eric grow into an incredibly talented and caring young man. And, it seems like that hill has moved a bit since I was forty so I suspect that Eric still has quite a way to go before he goes over the top.
So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ERIC! I love you very much and feel that I am extremely lucky to be your father!
(If you’d like to see more pictures of Eric, please visit the following photo archive pages: Portraits of a musician and School days with Eric.)