Blow out the candles

God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.
Voltaire

(a very young, 4 year old “Dad” ready to blow out his candles / Julie Cook / 2015)

Long before there was 2015. . .
Before there was a 9/11
Before there was Homeland Security
Before there was ISIS
Before there was Israel
Before there was Pakistan
Before there was a USSR
Before there was the People’s Republic of China
Before the baby Baltic States
Before there was a Desert Storm
A Vietnam
A Korean conflict
Before there was a nuclear bomb
A World War II
Before there was transatlantic travel
Before there was the passing away of a brother
Before there was a remarriage
Before there was the passing away of a wife
Before there was the passing away of a mother
Before there was a grandson
Before there was a granddaughter-n-law
Before there was the passing away of a son
Before there was a son-n-law
Before there was the passing away of a father
Before there was a daughter
Before there was a marriage
Before there was college
Before there was high school
Before there was elementary school
Before there were computers
Before there were cell phones
Before there were portable phones
Before there was television
Before there were DVDs, CDs, HD
Before there was digital
Before there was color, when the world was black and white
Before there was the 21st century. . .
There was a 4 year old boy who sat down before his birthday cake and began to blow out the candles on that March 10, 1932. . .a day that was full of the wishes of the hopes and dreams that have now spun the past 87 years. . .
Happy Birthday Dad