Ode to Seven Year Old Son

One Child Left Behind - Brandon Rogers: "Tristan,

Tomorrow you will be seven years old.

And to celebrate this occasion, your mom and I are going to take you to the Oregon Coast for a few days to torment the starfish and the hermit crabs, because we had such a great time there two years ago. We’ve thought about what to do for you for some time now. That’s because your mom and I have already planned out your entire existence."


What a great gift this posting is! It summons up a loving grandfather, family history, and much more--with humor and feeling. The boy will remember his seventh-birthday trip for years to come, I'm sure. But it will be years from now before he fully gets the gift of this writing from his father. Beautiful.