Reflections from the top of the Tirman food chain……….

Well, I guess I should not be surprised that life changes.  I mean it has changed all along and pretty consistently too.  But this past weekend provided a little more change than I cared to experience, and it did so all at once.

First off, on Saturday I turned 60 years old.  In truth, I did not look or feel much different than I did on Friday, but I did find myself being a tad bit more reflective.  I truly appreciated all the birthday wishes, but I sensed that I had crossed the line into people’s (everyone on earth) perception of “old-hood.” Maybe it was just my perception, but a lot happens generally in your sixties.  Retirement and going onto Medicare are just a couple of those things, as well as developing the ability to mozy.

Secondly, Sunday was Father’s Day.  Scotty’s birthday was on the 16th, and he is now getting used to, like I have, having his birthday and Father’s Day falling so close together.  It always turns out to be too much food and cake.  I like hearing from everyone, but as a now 60-year-old trophy husband, I really get uncomfortable with gifts.  I already own my own cane, and we also have a wheelchair, so I am pretty well set for the necessities.

But my thoughts on Sunday really did not center on me, instead they went back to my father.  He has been gone now for a little over two years, and as I always hear from my kids on Father’s Day, I have had tremendously conflicted feelings as I want to call him.  So this is what is missing, and although it is slightly irrational, I just want to be able to call him.  I mean I could try, because I have never taken his number or contact information off of my phone.  I just don’t because it is nice to see him come up when I hit “my favorites.”

And, to make matters even stranger, his birthday was June 3rd, and our family has A LOT of June birthdays.  I always reminded him of birthdays, (okay I pre-warned him as he would often forget) so June was a particularly busy month to be talking to him or seeing him.  I did tell him Happy Birthday and Happy Father’s Day, but I no longer remind him of birthdays…..I figure he is now responsible for remembering those himself!

So back to me.  Like so many others getting older, sooner you get to the top of the food chain, and here I am.  I am on top “age-wise” in terms of my dad’s living children, and clearly also on top in personality, IQ, and good looks (this is through my entire family as I discovered this through my own research) and of course I am clearly on top in humbleness.

But despite all these amazing attributes, time still flies. I miss you dad, and lucky for the world, your twisted Tirman humor lives on through Anna, Mike, and myself.  We still talk about you often, and remember you each day.  And each one of us knows we were your favorite.

Thanks for being you dad.  We miss you and love you. And we will see you soon…….as I am now 60, you can plan on seeing me much sooner.

Tommy+

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