Happy Birthday, Dad!

Today is my dad's 64th birthday. I phoned him to yell "Happy Birthdayyyyy!!!!!" When he asked me if I had anything to share with him, I thought for a moment and then said that I had money to give him. He then gave me an update on familial life, which transitioned smoothly into his habitual reminders of the importance of maintaining strong relationships within the family. I replied in an equally rehearsed manner with a series of "yes"'s and "absolutely"'s. Arriving at the conclusion, he paused and then said in his fragmented English, "I love you...in my lifetime." The endearingly odd delivery of the sentence made me laugh, which I regret now as I'm sure it made my "I love you, too" seem less sincere.

After our conversation, his words, "I love you...in my lifetime" stuck in my mind. Coming from a paternal figure, this direct, fearless expression of love is a rare beauty that is to be cherished.