Question of the Day

In light of today, I thought this one would be appropriate: What's the best birthday present you've gotten?

Now, having asked it, I'm going to chicken out, seeing as how a lot of people who read this blog have also given me birthday presents and I don't want to offend them. But a couple of really meaningful ones come to mind, including my first typewriter when I was 12. But one that really stands out was my 40th birthday. I was living in northern Michigan and my father and I went dry-fly fishing on the Au Sauble River near Grayling. We started out early in the morning of a glorious late-summer day and drifted on the current as my father taught me the fine art of dry-fly casting. I must admit that I was a lousy student, and all we caught that day was several tree branches and my hat. But just as we rounded the final bend before getting off the river I caught a small trout. Since it was a catch-and-release trip, it was a win for both me and the trout. But what made it the most meaningful was spending time with my dad doing something that he loved and wanted to share with me, and that's a gift that I cherish.