I still find it hard to
believe to this day, but 27 years ago, I became a father for the second time
when my son was born.
I already had a daughter, but this was not a co-called “nuclear family” that I had.
Remember that concept?
A man and a woman marry, they have a boy and a girl, and they have what was referred to as a nuclear family—one child of each sex.
And they would have no more, which would lead to what was called “zero population growth.”
You don’t hear those terms anymore, but they didn’t really fit my situation anyway, because I had one child with my first spouse and my second child with my second, and forever, spouse.
But however it worked out, 27 years today, my wife and I had our son, and life changed for the better since he came into our lives.
Sure, things were different with another person in the house, but honestly, we love being parents and we love our son to pieces.
Yes, I love my daughter equally, but today is her brother’s day, so let’s focus on him.
He was so small when he came into our lives that I could hold him in one hand, but he has grown into a big young man, someone that my wife and I are so proud of for his accomplishments.
Those accomplishments are perhaps not as lofty as others have achieved, but the small leaps that he has made over the years are very gratifying to us, and I think to him too.
This was someone who was literally damned by a supposed medical professional—recommended by the school system, no less--who should have known better, who should have seen the raw potential in him rather than deem that he fit for only one thing, the scrap pile.
I have heard that same story from other parents about their children, so I know that our son’s story is somewhat more commonplace than many of us would like to believe, but I can say that while our son has faced many challenges in his life, and he still has a way to go in some aspects of his life, he has made that supposed medical professional look like the idiot that she was in trying to define his life pursuits and his eventual successes.
Our son has great drive and determination, and for someone who was deemed to be a poor fit for this life by this numbskull with a medical degree on the wall of her office, he has far exceeded anything she said by looking at him for maybe five minutes of her so valuable time.
He holds a job … he bowls … he plays basketball … and as you know, he played Little League baseball for seven years when he was just a few years separated by that fool’s comments.
He has even began to socialize a little bit more, although he is probably never going to be much of a social person, as he still is very shy.
But when we were told what we were told by this supposed medical professional, it is almost like our son heard what she said too, and decided in his own young mind that he was going to make this woman into the ignoramus that she was … as much as my wife and I shook our heads upon her prognosis and decided that that wasn’t what our son was or would be when he got older.
Sometimes, society doesn’t understand—or want to understand—certain circumstances, and I know that I have stood up for both my son and daughter when I felt that they were not treated the same way as others.
With my daughter, even though children of divorce were not a rare species, even 20-some years ago, school districts and other organizations did not know how to handle two parents being on opposite poles, so I had to stand up for my daughter—and myself—in dealings with these groups.
It has been the same way with my son, who I have stood up for since day one, with his school district and other organizations who did not understand—or even attempt to understand—his psyche.
I have even done this very recently, and I will do it again if need be, and I hope that in 2022 and beyond, I won’t have to do this anymore, but that might be a lofty goal, something I am not happy to report to you.
But whatever the case, and against all odds, our son has prospered, perhaps at a slower rate than others of his age group, but he has really done well in the face of those odds that were so stacked against him …
And the future is so bright and the ceiling is infinite for further successes.
He truly is no different from any 27 year old.
He loves sports, he gives the eye to a passing female every now and again, he doesn’t make his bed or handle his laundry, he loves to watch TV, and he loves his iPhone and listening to his music.
He is responsible, he can be very serious, but he can laugh too.
We are just so proud of him, and wish him continued successes today on his big day.
There is no telling what heights he can achieve, and my wife and I can’t wait to see how high he can go in his life pursuits.
God could not have given my wife and I a better son, and we look forward to his future as he continues to defy those early odds that were stacked against him.
We love you Josh!
Happy birthday to you and many, many more!
I already had a daughter, but this was not a co-called “nuclear family” that I had.
Remember that concept?
A man and a woman marry, they have a boy and a girl, and they have what was referred to as a nuclear family—one child of each sex.
And they would have no more, which would lead to what was called “zero population growth.”
You don’t hear those terms anymore, but they didn’t really fit my situation anyway, because I had one child with my first spouse and my second child with my second, and forever, spouse.
But however it worked out, 27 years today, my wife and I had our son, and life changed for the better since he came into our lives.
Sure, things were different with another person in the house, but honestly, we love being parents and we love our son to pieces.
Yes, I love my daughter equally, but today is her brother’s day, so let’s focus on him.
He was so small when he came into our lives that I could hold him in one hand, but he has grown into a big young man, someone that my wife and I are so proud of for his accomplishments.
Those accomplishments are perhaps not as lofty as others have achieved, but the small leaps that he has made over the years are very gratifying to us, and I think to him too.
This was someone who was literally damned by a supposed medical professional—recommended by the school system, no less--who should have known better, who should have seen the raw potential in him rather than deem that he fit for only one thing, the scrap pile.
I have heard that same story from other parents about their children, so I know that our son’s story is somewhat more commonplace than many of us would like to believe, but I can say that while our son has faced many challenges in his life, and he still has a way to go in some aspects of his life, he has made that supposed medical professional look like the idiot that she was in trying to define his life pursuits and his eventual successes.
Our son has great drive and determination, and for someone who was deemed to be a poor fit for this life by this numbskull with a medical degree on the wall of her office, he has far exceeded anything she said by looking at him for maybe five minutes of her so valuable time.
He holds a job … he bowls … he plays basketball … and as you know, he played Little League baseball for seven years when he was just a few years separated by that fool’s comments.
He has even began to socialize a little bit more, although he is probably never going to be much of a social person, as he still is very shy.
But when we were told what we were told by this supposed medical professional, it is almost like our son heard what she said too, and decided in his own young mind that he was going to make this woman into the ignoramus that she was … as much as my wife and I shook our heads upon her prognosis and decided that that wasn’t what our son was or would be when he got older.
Sometimes, society doesn’t understand—or want to understand—certain circumstances, and I know that I have stood up for both my son and daughter when I felt that they were not treated the same way as others.
With my daughter, even though children of divorce were not a rare species, even 20-some years ago, school districts and other organizations did not know how to handle two parents being on opposite poles, so I had to stand up for my daughter—and myself—in dealings with these groups.
It has been the same way with my son, who I have stood up for since day one, with his school district and other organizations who did not understand—or even attempt to understand—his psyche.
I have even done this very recently, and I will do it again if need be, and I hope that in 2022 and beyond, I won’t have to do this anymore, but that might be a lofty goal, something I am not happy to report to you.
But whatever the case, and against all odds, our son has prospered, perhaps at a slower rate than others of his age group, but he has really done well in the face of those odds that were so stacked against him …
And the future is so bright and the ceiling is infinite for further successes.
He truly is no different from any 27 year old.
He loves sports, he gives the eye to a passing female every now and again, he doesn’t make his bed or handle his laundry, he loves to watch TV, and he loves his iPhone and listening to his music.
He is responsible, he can be very serious, but he can laugh too.
We are just so proud of him, and wish him continued successes today on his big day.
There is no telling what heights he can achieve, and my wife and I can’t wait to see how high he can go in his life pursuits.
God could not have given my wife and I a better son, and we look forward to his future as he continues to defy those early odds that were stacked against him.
We love you Josh!
Happy birthday to you and many, many more!
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