Sept. 11th | Parenting | StoryTelling

My Son’s Birthday is Sept. 11th

“Dad this is so unfair!”

I just got off the phone. My youngest son and I called my oldest son to wish him Happy Birthday. We started singing the birthday song and he asked us to please stop.

Don’t blame him.

Jon said the first phone call he got this morning was from his immediate supervisor at church who said:

“Happy Birthday. Remember to lower the flag to half staff this morning.”

September 11th

Always an interesting day. My oldest son’s birthday and the September 11th anniversary.

19 years ago as I tucked Jon into bed:

Jon: “This is so unfair! Now we’re always gonna remember this as the day they flew airplanes into buildings!!”

Me: “Nah. We’re always gonna remember this as the day you turned 7.”

When it became clear the terrorist attacks were going to be called September 11th, Jon began to lobby for the date of his birthday to be changed.

He kinda had a good point. I told him I’d sleep on it.

The next morning I said:

“Son I get it, but we’re just not gonna let the bad guys steal your birthday.”

When I told this story in the weekly newspaper column I wrote back then, an elderly man called my office and left this voice mail:

“I just want to let you know I turned 7 on December 7, 1941. I tried to get my parents to change my birthday too. They wisely wouldn’t let me, for the same reason you gave your son. I just wanted you to know you’re doing the right thing.”

I wish he’d left a name and number so I could thank him.

If by some strange quirk of life you happen to read this sir, thank you.

It’s turned out pretty good. That same kid turns 26 today, and it’s his first birthday knowing he’ll soon be a Daddy too.