Brothers....
Thulani will be 13 on Friday.
This is hard for me to imagine.
I’ve gone from labor coach, where I held his mother’s hand as he entered the world, to seeing her look on eight days later, as we went away from her to our life together.
He’s gone from formula to solids, size 1 diapers to mastering bowel, bladder and countless other tasks.
He crawled. Walked. Then, ran. All on schedule.
We’ve been through the night-scares, nightmares, colds, sniffs, and stiff necks. We’ve spent one dreadful night in the hospital.
We’ve fought over brushing teeth, showering, picking up clothes, and changing sheets – and who gets the laptop and when.
We’ve come close to blows over homework, lost books, lost bags, lost assignments, lost grades, and lost tempers.
My son is now a young adult!
Thulani gets anxious when he thinks of me dying – says he’s not ready for me to die yet. When I tell him that one day I will die and that is unlikely to be today he settles down. Immediately.
He loves our house but wishes it had carpets. He wishes we were richer and cannot understand that I don’t.
He’s done several hundred thousand miles on United and Delta visiting a list of about 25 countries. He has had birthdays in South Africa, Switzerland, Romania, Canada, and Hawaii – but now, given the opportunity to travel, he chooses to stay home.
He loves the dog, his room (although he wishes he’d chosen the larger one!), his dad, his brother, his skateboard and bike almost in that order. He loves his school and his school friends and he lights up like a Christmas Tree when friends want him to have sleepovers.
He’s a people person with a charming personality – and can conduct a conversation with any adult who is up for it.
He’s cried over a mother he doesn’t know. He’s wept freely over a girl who told him they were no longer girlfriend and boyfriend.
I’ve cried a lot, too – over many things and over many precious moments. One outstanding memory of my own tears was when I listened as he read an essay he wrote in the fifth grade about his life in America. He read it to a gym full of adults who hung onto his every word. His essay, which was a gripping list of all of what he is grateful for, included his knowledge that his mother had given up much so he could have much more.
Yes. My April Fool’s baby is no fool.
He’s bright, aware, and caring.
Happy Birthday, my son. It’s been a joy to be your dad, every day of every one of the thirteen years we’ve had together.
Thanks. I have loved it. You are all the son any dad anywhere could ever want and I am so very proud of you.