Wednesday, 10 July
 |
| Jacob's Desert Solitaire |
Happy
Birthday Jacob!
As
of today you now have had fourteen years to assess the situation on this
planet. How’s it going? It can seem a bit overwhelming at times,
right? When you think about it you
realize your life is an epic in the making.
Think of the time needed, the miles traveled and the hundreds of people
involved – teachers, students, friends, villains, relatives, brothers and
sister, Mom and Dad; not to mention all those extras needed for crowded events
you attend. Of course, they each have
their own epic in the making. The scope
of all these interwoven lives is just mind-boggling.
Let’s
back up and start with a cake. Somewhere
in human history, probably around the time people developed the idea of the
calendar, someone had the notion of birthdays.
For instance, you were born in the summer, on the tenth day of the month
named in honor of Julius Caesar – July. Someone
else thought it would be a good idea to celebrate each date of birth of one’s
life with baking a cake. I’m sure that
quickly caught on. We all gather around
the cake, exchange greetings of happiness and have a little party. Of course, people always wanted to know how
old you have just become. How many times
now have you traveled all the way around the sun? By the way, let’s celebrate not only your
birth but how many years you have been with us.
Well,
years before, some life of the party had stuck a burning candle smack in the
center of the cake to add spectacle and cheer to the proceedings. It was a big hit. Now another clever person has just come up
with the idea to have a candle burning for each year of one’s life. Oh, that won’t do, adds another. The candles are too big! We’d need a really huge cake or itsy bitsy
candles. It is a great idea, though. In fact, it is so great we will just have to
make skinny little candles special for the cake. And so they did. Somewhere in all this merry making people
also felt the desire to give gifts of appreciation to the one whose birth was
being celebrated. This gesture also grew
grander with time. Let’s conceal the
gift in wrapping so that it becomes a surprise when opened. The wrapping would become vivid with color
and elaborated with ribbon. It soon got
to the point where you felt you were undressing the prize. Oh, look!
It’s just what I wanted.
All
was well and good when it came time for the birthday. People eagerly gathered for these family
events. Still, there was something
fundamental missing. People lacked the
means to express this shared moment of joy.
“Hip Hip Hurrah!” simply didn't cut it.
It made for a moment of awkward frustration with everyone gathered around
the lighted cake with nothing in particular to say. Thankfully, a couple of sisters with a piano
in a parlor somewhere came up with a simple song everyone could sing in tune
and feel great doing it. It was a master
stroke. It quickly became the crescendo
to birthday parties celebrated everywhere.
All seemed in harmony and of good feeling, almost. No, we still have the problem of the burning
candles. We can’t very well eat the cake
like this. What to do. You know what I think? I think the solution came as a spontaneous
burst of expression. The scene is
set. Everyone is gathered together as the
cake is brought in. People begin to
sing.
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Jacob,
Happy Birthday to you.
Then
someone exclaims, “Blow out the candles.”
“No,
wait,” someone else chimes in. “First
make a wish. If you blow out all the
candles in one breathe your wish will come true.”
Yes,
yes, everyone agreed. This was a fine
idea. But they also secretly felt you
got your wish anyway, even if you couldn't put out all the candles in a single blow. After all, it was your birthday.
Life
is good. Enjoy your birthday. My picture for you this year is what I call “Jacob’s
Desert Solitaire.” If it seems to you
undone maybe it was left for you to finish.
Your art has always been a delight for me. Happy Birthday, Jacob!
Love,
Dad
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