Today is my dad's birthday, and it's the first one since he passed away. It's a bit tough to concentrate today, especially since it's the third day of school and my students are going a million miles a minute.
In 2006, I left for my religious mission to Italy on August 9, which was the day after his 46th birthday. I remember sitting in the Missionary Training Center when I realized that, in preparing for my two-year departure, my whole family had been so focused on my needs, that my dad's birthday was pushed to the wayside and nearly, if not entirely, forgotten.
As we stood up to say our goodbyes, I gave him a hug and apologized that I had taken up all of the day and we hadn't focused on his birthday. He hugged me tighter and said to me, "This is the best birthday present I could have ever received. I'm the proudest dad in the world and would give up all my birthdays for this."
It may seem inconsequential to most, but it meant the world to me. Now, I'd give up all my birthdays just to have him back.
Happy 51st Pops.
Trent.
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