* * * HAPPY BIRTHDAY NAOMI * * *


There are some days I just cannot believe my luck. That Saturday in the fall of 1998 comes to mind. I scurried in to my job at Dinosaur Hill just a few minutes late and was greeted by the most vital presence I have ever known. Her name was Naomi and she was filling in for her friend Pamela, who owned the shop. I couldn’t believe how comfortable and excited I felt, all at once, and I didn’t want the day to ever end. Her name is still Naomi, she still inspires and energizes me, and our friend Pamela continues as proprietor of said shop. Aside from the fact that I no longer work there, the only difference between then and now is that every day since has been an “I can’t believe my luck” day for me.

It isn’t really luck, I know. It is more a culmination of my years believing in the wonder of existence on this dear planet of ours, and in the miracle that is our lives. I was not disappointed. I never will be, knowing she graces our lives, especially mine, with her genuine warmth, intelligence, and presence. Yes, it may not be just dumb luck … but I still can’t get over my astonishing good fortune.

It all began in Merry Old England, on August the one’th (August the first for those who aren’t familiar with her vernacular), in the not too distant past, in a galaxy not very far away. It is cause for spirited jubilation and passionate celebration for those privileged enough to know her… and something I do every day. Lucky me.

I have been faithful to thee, Cynara, in my fashion


She boogied into my life on April 5th, 1976. She waltzed from the halls of Wellesley on June 1st, 2006 with a degree in geology. She has held my heart in her capable hands all this time with my enthusiastic consent and has filled me not only with love, but pride and admiration. Pride in the little girl who was and in the total woman she has become. Admiration for the way she goes about her life and the motivations that inspire her journey.

Rarely are parents pleased with what their children become. They often disapprove of their values and are disappointed with their choice of lifestyle and career. I had no such ambitions. The burden I placed on my daughter was at once both simple and somewhat daunting. I wanted her to become exactly who she was and be exactly what she wanted to be within her own scope of reference and as a result of her own encounter with trial and error. Although this sounds ideally liberal, it can be quite disconcerting for one seeking boundaries and guidelines. I needn’t have worried.

She is today one of the finest individuals I know in every respect, and if she were not my daughter, I would wish that she were. Here’s to you, Cynara Cannatella. You have made my life so very worth while.

Love,

Dad