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.