Shared Birthdays

February 3rd, 2002.

A father and son posing together on their mutual birthday. They had reached the half way point in their lives. My father was exactly half my grandfather's age, from this point on he'd have been around for more than half of his father's life.

You see, my father and grandfather shared a birthdate. In one of those interesting coincidences, my grandfather's only son was born on his 46th birthday.

They didn't always get along, but they always made a point of having at least a small mutual celebration, even when they both made seperate plans.

Their relationship was difficult at times. They never seemed to understand one another and they often didn't get along, but Hell or high water they were together every February 3rd if only for a few minutes.

In this picture, the son is healthy and strong and full of life, while the father is obviously on the decline. If you were to look at this picture and be asked which one wouldn't be alive to celebrate three years later, the answer would seem obvious.

But then life often works in strange and mysterious ways.

I don't think my father or my grandfather ever imagined the way things would work out. After all what father ever imagines he'll out live his son?

Today is my granfather's 95th birthday. Only the 46th birthday he has celebrated without my father. Probably something he never planned on, celebrating another birthday without his son.

But the picture isn't about that. It's one moment in time captured forever. A father and son sharing their birthday.

Isn't that nice?