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It has been a week since my daughter's wedding. It was at least a year of planning and it seemed like it was over in an instant. I waited all my life to walk her down the aisle, and I was truly blessed to have the chance. The wedding wasn't what I knew as a traditional
ceremony, but it was so beautiful and extravagant right down to the last detail. I can honestly say my daughter has learned her trade very well. All the years she has worked in the wedding business has paid off. Her wedding was something out of a hollywood movie. She had everything scripted right down to the last hors d' ouevers.
The weather on the day of the wedding was beautiful. You couldn't ask for a better day. Blue skies and sunshine, low humidity and the temperature in the low seventys.
That morning I didn't have much to do, I spent the day doing small errands for my wife.
I went into the Village for lunch with my future son-in-law and my son. When we returned, I went and sat down in the gazebo by the water fountain and small pond. It was
cool and relaxing. I took a nice nap. I spent most of my time there reminiscing about Christa and the things we did when she was young. I wouldn't say we had a "Father knows Best" relationship, but there were plenty of times when she came for my advice and of course I gave it. Sometimes she listened and took the advice, other times she didn't. I don't ever remember telling her I told you so.
Soon it was time to get ready and I was allowed to go into her room to see her. I was in awe. She was beautiful. Her life from the time she was born to that very moment flashed before my eyes. The first time I held her, I knew if I never had a dollar I would still be a rich man. After taking some pictures it was time to walk down the aisle. I would like to tell you what I was thinking but my mind was blank. The time I had been waiting for was upon me and I was dumbfounded. A lot of emotion started building inside of me, I thought I was going to cry. When we reached the minister and Charlie, I looked up and noticed Charlie had tears in his eyes. I knew then I couldn't start crying.
I looked at Christa and saw the gleam in her eyes. When the minister said "Who gives this woman" I didn't choke. I said I do. I kissed her on the cheek and shook Charlie's hand, I think I said take care of her she is yours now. I turned and walked to my seat next to my wife and proceeded to watch the ceremony. Christa and Charlie looked so happy, and they look like the perfect couple. I know her heart belongs to someone else now but she will always be part of mine and I will always feel like a rich man when she is around.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Father of the Bride
In just a few weeks my daughter will be walking down the aisle as a new bride. I have to admit it is a day I have been waiting for a long time. I am not only glad for my daughter but I am excited for myself. I have always wanted to be called " Father of the Bride". Any man who has a daughter knows what I am feeling. To be the father of the bride makes a man, for at least one day, feel very important and definitely proud. It is different than being father of the groom. The father of the groom is proud of his son and excited for him, but the father is put in the background and witnesses the wedding from afar. On the day of the wedding all eyes are on the bride, as they should be, when your daughter is the bride however part of the spotlight shines on her dad. The mother of the bride is also in the spotlight, but she has to be careful not to upstage her daughter, the bride. It is not good for the mother to take attention away from her daughter.
The father however can strut like a proud peacock. It is as if he had something special to do with his daughter becoming the beautiful bride. He gets to be the "ambassador" at the wedding, walking around shaking hands, greeting guests and taking credited for all the good things happenning that day. For most of his life, dad stays in the background
and does the normal daily things a dad is supposed to do. He watches his children grow and provides for them without much fanfare. He is just a dad. On the day of his daughter's wedding, he is transformed into " Father of the Bride" and it is his reward for all he did to help her turn into the sophisticated, beautiful and intelligent woman that she has become. It is a bittersweet time when his daughter gets married. She now becomes
a wife and someone else is responsible for taking care of her, answering her questions, making sure her car gets repaired, fixing things around her house and so on. I will always be there for my daughter, but I know I will no longer be first in her life, as it should be.
So as this wedding day approaches, I am going to enjoy every minute, and I will be
smiling and be the proud peacock named " The Father of the Bride".
The father however can strut like a proud peacock. It is as if he had something special to do with his daughter becoming the beautiful bride. He gets to be the "ambassador" at the wedding, walking around shaking hands, greeting guests and taking credited for all the good things happenning that day. For most of his life, dad stays in the background
and does the normal daily things a dad is supposed to do. He watches his children grow and provides for them without much fanfare. He is just a dad. On the day of his daughter's wedding, he is transformed into " Father of the Bride" and it is his reward for all he did to help her turn into the sophisticated, beautiful and intelligent woman that she has become. It is a bittersweet time when his daughter gets married. She now becomes
a wife and someone else is responsible for taking care of her, answering her questions, making sure her car gets repaired, fixing things around her house and so on. I will always be there for my daughter, but I know I will no longer be first in her life, as it should be.
So as this wedding day approaches, I am going to enjoy every minute, and I will be
smiling and be the proud peacock named " The Father of the Bride".
Friday, December 16, 2011
Good News Channel
If you watch TV or listen to news radio you will find that we are inundated with all kinds of news about the troubling times we live in. As I have aged I have found that I have lived in troubling times all my life. If you look up any year and check old newspapers or video from TV broadcasts you will find bad news everywhere. Times today, really are no different for us than for those who lived in past years. What makes our time seem so troubling is the fact that we have become a global society. With the advent of the internet and the use of the cell phone, we are able to instantly get information from all over the world. We now have twenty four hour news and information channels. Even our local stations start broadcasting at 4:a.m. There was a time when newscast only lasted 1/2 hour per night, and that included national and local. The reason these channels are on so much is because of ratings, and higher ratings mean more advertising money. Because we are the kind of people who like to slow down and look at a car wreck, the news channels fill our screens with as much bad news as they can find. Even a light dusting of snow falling instantly becomes a major blizzard.
With the Christmas season upon us, I think it is time to turn off the TV and radio news channels. We should pull back and look at our own small world. What can we do to make life for the people close to us
happier. Think of all the things we can share with those we love. Look at all we already have. Instead of watching and worrying about all the bad things going on in the outside world, let us look inside our own small world and see what we can do to make it a better place. It is written somewhere that you can't love until you love yourself first. Charity begins at home . If we all take the time to make peace and love within our own families and close friends we can use that as a foundation to make a beter place in the outside world. Then maybe there will be a 24 hour good news channel.
With the Christmas season upon us, I think it is time to turn off the TV and radio news channels. We should pull back and look at our own small world. What can we do to make life for the people close to us
happier. Think of all the things we can share with those we love. Look at all we already have. Instead of watching and worrying about all the bad things going on in the outside world, let us look inside our own small world and see what we can do to make it a better place. It is written somewhere that you can't love until you love yourself first. Charity begins at home . If we all take the time to make peace and love within our own families and close friends we can use that as a foundation to make a beter place in the outside world. Then maybe there will be a 24 hour good news channel.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
" The Old Neighborhood"
Recently I attended a reunion of the neighborhood where I grew up. There were quite a few people there and we all had one thing in common, the little area called 49th St. I often wonder why the neighborhood was called 49th St., most of the people lived on 50th or 51st or Kershaw or Thompson Streets and many other streets. Hardly anyone lived on 49th St. Yet when asked where you came from, the answer was 49th St. The neighborhood consisted mostly of people of Italian and Irish descent. It had two schools and two churches, one for Irish and one for Italians, I often laugh when I think about it because we were all catholic and the schools we attended practiced segregation. You had to be at least half of one nationality to attend school.
The neighborhood had a whole cast of characters, with fantastic nicknames, there was Slasher, Breezy, Bizza, Ballots, Tony Feathers, Tree Tops, Flutes, Flubby and many more. It was a working class neighborhood, where most of the men were in the
building trades. We did have our neighborhood grocery stores and shoemaker and drug store, so you really didn't have to go to far to get most things that you needed.
Many in the neighborhood were from big families, there were quite a few second, third and fourth cousins. Some were related and even spelled their last name differently.
While at the reunion, we talked about old times and all the different things that went on. Even though we were all of different ages, you knew how the stories would end because someone in your family was there at the time or knew what transpired. There was a sense of one big family growing up in the 49th St. area. No matter where or when you were involved in things, your parents would find out after you were corrected by one of the neighbors. There was no escaping, everyone knew your family.
I have many fond memories of the neighborhood, the Carnival every spring, going in the fire plug in summer, Friday night block party dances, pretzels and water ice, or playing cards while "hangin" on the corner. My most fond memory is coming home from church on Sunday morning and smelling the homemade "gravy" and meatballs or sausage being cooked in the homes.
Eventually as we got older we moved from the neighborhood, but it always has stayed with me. I cherish the memories I have from that time and I have not forgotten them. When someone asked where I am from I tell them "from 49th St. a small close knit neighborhood in West Phila.
The neighborhood had a whole cast of characters, with fantastic nicknames, there was Slasher, Breezy, Bizza, Ballots, Tony Feathers, Tree Tops, Flutes, Flubby and many more. It was a working class neighborhood, where most of the men were in the
building trades. We did have our neighborhood grocery stores and shoemaker and drug store, so you really didn't have to go to far to get most things that you needed.
Many in the neighborhood were from big families, there were quite a few second, third and fourth cousins. Some were related and even spelled their last name differently.
While at the reunion, we talked about old times and all the different things that went on. Even though we were all of different ages, you knew how the stories would end because someone in your family was there at the time or knew what transpired. There was a sense of one big family growing up in the 49th St. area. No matter where or when you were involved in things, your parents would find out after you were corrected by one of the neighbors. There was no escaping, everyone knew your family.
I have many fond memories of the neighborhood, the Carnival every spring, going in the fire plug in summer, Friday night block party dances, pretzels and water ice, or playing cards while "hangin" on the corner. My most fond memory is coming home from church on Sunday morning and smelling the homemade "gravy" and meatballs or sausage being cooked in the homes.
Eventually as we got older we moved from the neighborhood, but it always has stayed with me. I cherish the memories I have from that time and I have not forgotten them. When someone asked where I am from I tell them "from 49th St. a small close knit neighborhood in West Phila.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Shopping Thoughts.
Today, my wife and I took a ride to the Philadelphia Outlets in Limerick Pa. There
are quite few stores with many famous name brands. Everything there is on sale for at least 50% off, some things even more. We saved quite a bit of money. This got me thinking though, these same stores have to pay employees, rent, electric and the usual business expenses. How can they sell the clothes and shoes and other things so inexpensive. They must be making a profit or they coud not stay in business. Why does it cost so much to buy the same articles at a regular store. The products are all made in the same countries overseas, nothing is made here.
The only explanation I can think of is greed. The companies all complain they can't make a profit by using American workers, by making things in foreign countries they can hire cheap labor. Why don't they pass the savings on to the consumer at their regular stores. Instead of making 150% profit on goods can't they survive on 125% or even 100%. We keep complaining about deficits, doesn't it make sense to put Americans to work who are going to pay taxes and spend the money here. I understand that business costs are getting higher and higher, and everyone wants the workers to take a pay cut, but these large corporations are getting richer and richer and not giving back. There has to be a happy medium where we all can share in the prosperity of this country. I am not suggesting that these corporations give up their profits, but I would like to see them employ more people from this country so those same people can enjoy all this country has to offer.
are quite few stores with many famous name brands. Everything there is on sale for at least 50% off, some things even more. We saved quite a bit of money. This got me thinking though, these same stores have to pay employees, rent, electric and the usual business expenses. How can they sell the clothes and shoes and other things so inexpensive. They must be making a profit or they coud not stay in business. Why does it cost so much to buy the same articles at a regular store. The products are all made in the same countries overseas, nothing is made here.
The only explanation I can think of is greed. The companies all complain they can't make a profit by using American workers, by making things in foreign countries they can hire cheap labor. Why don't they pass the savings on to the consumer at their regular stores. Instead of making 150% profit on goods can't they survive on 125% or even 100%. We keep complaining about deficits, doesn't it make sense to put Americans to work who are going to pay taxes and spend the money here. I understand that business costs are getting higher and higher, and everyone wants the workers to take a pay cut, but these large corporations are getting richer and richer and not giving back. There has to be a happy medium where we all can share in the prosperity of this country. I am not suggesting that these corporations give up their profits, but I would like to see them employ more people from this country so those same people can enjoy all this country has to offer.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Friends
I read some where that if you have one friend you can count on, you are truly lucky.
Most of us have many people we know and we call them friend, but are they really. People have a tendency to offer to volunteer to help when you have a problem or if you are going through a rough time, it is human nature, to do this.
I have been very fortunate in my lifetime to have made friends with two people who as some would like to say, " I would pick them to go into battle with".
The first person is someone I met in the first grade, and to this day, 54 years later we are still friends. We have been to each others home and shared in the joys of our childrens highs and lows. We talk on the phone and constantly get together to play golf
or go out to dinner. He is the same person today as he was in the first grade. He is very
sociable and dependable and always seems to have a smile on his face. He can be counted on whenever and wherever he is needed.
The other person is someone I met in the Marine Corps. We met in California, in 1970 and we have been friends ever since. He also has shared good times and bad times with me. We toasted the birth of my daughter together and unfortunately we cried together at the death of his son. He lives in Florida, but we never miss a beat when we talk to each other on the phone.
It is said that friends don't have to see each other every day or talk every day. Most of the time that is the case with these two men. I was told by one that he considered me a brother he never had. He really meant it, and when I think about it, I do consider him my brother.
These two men will always have a place in my life, and I will always be there for them as I know they will be there for me.
I am very lucky to have a great wife and a great family, but I am also lucky and thankful for having two people I can call FRIEND.
Most of us have many people we know and we call them friend, but are they really. People have a tendency to offer to volunteer to help when you have a problem or if you are going through a rough time, it is human nature, to do this.
I have been very fortunate in my lifetime to have made friends with two people who as some would like to say, " I would pick them to go into battle with".
The first person is someone I met in the first grade, and to this day, 54 years later we are still friends. We have been to each others home and shared in the joys of our childrens highs and lows. We talk on the phone and constantly get together to play golf
or go out to dinner. He is the same person today as he was in the first grade. He is very
sociable and dependable and always seems to have a smile on his face. He can be counted on whenever and wherever he is needed.
The other person is someone I met in the Marine Corps. We met in California, in 1970 and we have been friends ever since. He also has shared good times and bad times with me. We toasted the birth of my daughter together and unfortunately we cried together at the death of his son. He lives in Florida, but we never miss a beat when we talk to each other on the phone.
It is said that friends don't have to see each other every day or talk every day. Most of the time that is the case with these two men. I was told by one that he considered me a brother he never had. He really meant it, and when I think about it, I do consider him my brother.
These two men will always have a place in my life, and I will always be there for them as I know they will be there for me.
I am very lucky to have a great wife and a great family, but I am also lucky and thankful for having two people I can call FRIEND.
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