That's my family hugging trees on the Avenue of the Giants, a 31-mile stretch of staggering forest beauty that runs through northern California's Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Thanks, Mike, for being such a great dad and helping to keep our family tree strong. (Mike reads this blog regularly, sometimes now on his Crackberry, so this post can serve as an electronic Father's Day card. I have a real card, too, tucked inside a six-pack of Guinness decorated with a big red bow.)
This somewhat forced tree-Father's Day metaphor (hey, I had a picture...) makes me think of a note my own dad wrote to me 30 years ago, which I still have. I'd gotten into Tufts University, a decent school, and he was proud of me. (Actually, he was relieved. I was seventh in my class of 400, but I had an unpleasant, rebellious period during high school and had announced to my parents that I had no intention of going to college because I wanted to be a long-distance trucker...)
When I accepted Tufts' acceptance, my dad wrote me this short message:
"The old oak tree is losing some of its leaves of late,
But, oh, look what is happening to one of my acorns!"
Happy Father's Day to you, too, Pop. (My dad doesn't have a CrackBerry, and he doesn't use his computer, but my mother reads this blog, so she'll show him this post. ) And now, I'm off to see my dad to give him his six-pack of Guinness (and a pack of Heinekens, some hand-made chocolate creams and a box of Jelly Belly jelly beans).
Have a great day, dads.
