The card

Happy Birthday little one

“Daddy, this is the one that I want.” is what I heard from Alexis. With a glance out of the corner of my eye I saw a jewel and then my attention striaght back to watching Bryce literally run full speed to the elctronics department of Target to see the Skylanders, while Kaitlyn was saying Dad, “listen to this birthday card.” I knew it would happen like this. No matter how many times I said it on the way, I knew and I am always convinved that this time it will work. I was wrong…again. It was birthday card time again at Target for what seems like the 75th birthday party we have been to this year. (It’s not really 75, but if I am naive enough to think that the kids would be focused this trip, I can say what i want)…

So, there we were. Present. Got it. Gift card. (easiest option). Check. Card, bag, tissue, bow. Check, check, check. Success. 30 minutes later we are gone. Party attended. Swimming accomplished. Sun kissed and wore out and the day was done.

Yet, throughout the next 2 weeks, there was that mention from my 8 year old to be tomorrow. All I want is that birthday card. At first I said, ok. Then I tried to reason with her that is was the act itself that was important. Yet, still the mentioning continued. Sweetly. Genuinely.

So here I am tonight thinking to myself after asking her mother what she was getting Alexis, I thought that seems a bit exuberent and I thought, “she wants that birthday card….” Target here I come.

I shit you not, there are exactly 5,372 cards to choose from at target. How do I know this, because I looked at every single one of them looking for that one card I card a glimpse of. Each shelf is 60 feet long. 6 feet high. There are 7 of them. That is exactly 2520 square feet of 4 inch by 6 inch cards to look at. It was painstakingly slow, but I could do it. At 6' 2" tall, I would have no problem seeing the cards up high or looking down low. I was set.

Twenty Seven (yes, thats 27) minutes later, I am a little frantic. That card is nowhere to be seen. Then I started second guessing myself. Was it really jeweled? Was it blue? Did it have a bow? Was I at the right target? I wish someone would help me…then I realized all of this was out loud and the late night birthday party mom squad was snickering at the apparently rookie card selecter. Hmph…

I am often times amazed how people just follow the masses and don’t think. It was then I had a crazy brillinat idea. Well maybe not, but it worked in the movies and tv and advertising so why wouldn’t it work for me? I said “What would Alexis do?” Silly, but simple and brillant. So I got on my knee’s and I was now the height of my soon to be 8 year old. And then I started walking…on my knees. I think we forget that reality is sometimes all about perspective. And from my new perspective of being four feet tall, I found the card in 3 minutes. Releived? Oh my goodness yes. Happy? Seeing her face when she gets that card, oye…that will be nice. Reality? She’s going to rip through that card in 2.5 seconds and see who its from and then jump into that present. LOL. She will never know the effort and that’s ok.

Why do I say this in such a long winded story that very few will read in it’s entirety. Even fewer will like it and fewer yet will comment. But, I write because I love too and I hope that someone will appreciate it.

The other reason? I have been presented with some of the most amzing problems for a person to have. I have never quit. I have always persevered. I ALWAYS recover. But each problem is different. Unique. Rare. So to are the solutions, remedies and ways out. Don’t forget to think. Sometimes its alot easier than you would be led to believe. Sometimes you get dirty and sometimes its uncomfortable. But as long as you remeber to think, you will make it.

While brushing the dust off of my slacks with that card in hand, it occured to me that the issue for which has been pauging me has a much simpler answer than I had previously thought. Its just a little dirt after all and with time it will all work out and one day you’ll remember how easy it was. Just like a little girl telling her dad, please look and see me. See what I want. Knowing that her smiles will last as she looks at that card in the years to come and smile knowing her dad really did look and really saw her.

Happy Birthday Alexis.

Love Daddy