Happy birthday Danny!
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| A boy who knows his way around an ice cream cone! |
Three years old and one of the best pals a grandpa ever had. I knew when you were just hours old that you and I were simpatico, two guys destined to catch the laugh train to Fun Town and hit all the stops along the way. You, my boy, were worth the wait.
For a long time your grandma and I thought that little guys like you were the province of our friends. We hadn't really planned on grandchildren because we didn't want to be disappointed.
Yet, here you are and we're now three years into the gift that is, well, you. Already you have gone more places and done more things than grandpa did in the first TWENTY years of his life. You've seen a palm tree, traveled to New York City, flown on jet planes, been out of the country, sailed on a boat and visited Disneyland all before your third birthday. Heck, we're even going to spend the whole day at Legoland this coming Monday to celebrate.
Who needs cake?! Oh, that's right your having that tomorrow when your mom and dad throw you a family party. That will be fun. Cousins, cake, maybe a couple of those radio controlled cars to play with, it all sounds like a honkin' good time, and you deserve it.
This may be grandpa prejudice, but I think you're a really good boy. You are perpetually happy and friendly to most everybody. You willingly share your toys, say please and thank you and readily obey your mom and dad. When they tell you to do something or, as is often the case, to STOP doing something, you listen and do as you're told. You may not know it yet but that kind of attention and obedience will serve you well in life. Mom and dad will always have your best interests in mind. Granted, there will come a time, probably ten years hence, when you will look at them as fossilized idiots from the planet DIP who know absolutely nothing worthy of your consideration, but that will pass and you'll spend the rest of your life thanking them for being so darn smart. That's just the way it works. Trust me, I'm your grandpa.
So, here's to the first three years of a wonderful new life! May you continue to grow, learn and appreciate all the gifts you have. The future will bring many new challenges that will be far more complicated than those experienced by your parents and certainly by your grandparents. Always remember that opportunity knocks once but temptation leans on the doorbell. With luck, you'll be intelligent enough to know the difference.
Winston Churchill, a great man you will learn about as you study history, once said: "Words are the only things that live forever." In the past year you have begun to express yourself more conversationally and grandpa wants you to remember that your words have the power to help or to hurt people. Use them wisely. No doubt, you will forget this advice from time to time, but try to keep it in mind and always do your best to make others feel good.
One more thing: Grandpa has noticed that you are starting to take a real interest in things like airplanes and pool tables. Remember as you grow older and start to think about an occupation it is important to choose work that you love. Your grandpa fell in love with the radio business when he was a boy and spent nearly forty years getting paid for something he would have done for nothing. You should do the same, though I'm fairly certain that given a choice between aviation and hustling pool the former is the one to choose. And forget about broadcasting. Like grandpa, that business is going the way of the Pony Express. Just remember that you'll be defined by the choices you make and the choice of a career is a really big one.
Now. let's have some cake. Maybe later we'll play some pool. Gramps will let you break.
Love,
Grandpa
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| A future in aviation? |
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