Today is my girlfriends (have everything but the ring) son’s birthday. He is 25 and in the military, dedicated to this great country.
I made the decision many years ago to not have children of my own, and was fine being with someone who already did. When I met Patricia, and over the ensuing years, I never thought of myself as a father to him, and never forced or tried to be that way. I wanted to be a friend and have a respectful, mutual relationship. Over time, this has grown into much more than that, and has a foundation of trust. We trust each other.
Even while writing this, while written on a whim, the idea has been around for awhile, the emotions well up inside. I worry about him, and see Patricia worry about him. What started as a friendship, has become more, and I now see this relationship as a gift from the universe, in spite of my earlier intentions.
