Unconditional Love

My friend and office roommate Joel has a friend named Mendy, who's an orthodox Jewish lawyer. Joel, an Italian who grew up in Pinecrest but went to law school in New York, met him at the Public Defender's office. He calls him, affectionately, Mendy the Jew, or just "The Jew."

So the Jew came over yesterday to meet some big shot Colombian drug lord, who he and Joel hoped to represent. The fellow never showed, but the Jew and I got to talking. He's a great guy --very thoughtful and articulate, and despite living in an orthodox community on Miami Beach, considers Joel his best friend.

The Jew got married last year, for the first time, at 37. He married the sister of a client, who was only 23 and a beauty. They met while the Jew represented the family in the tragic case of a near drowning of a 4 year old girl, now the Jew's niece, and the dramatic aftermath involving, sadly, my dear friend Dr. Barry. But that's not the point here...

The Jew's wife just gave birth to a baby girl. Mendy told me that, at 38, he's learning about love for the first time. As he drove his wife and baby home from the hospital, he kept getting angry at the cars on the road that dared get too close.

The baby is just a week old, and already the Jew feels a joy he never imagined.

I get it, I told him. There's nothing I've found on this earth like the unconditional love we have for our children.

When they hurt, we hurt more. When they soar, well --I don't know what's better.

I told the Jew the best was yet to come. The first time he comes home and his daughter recognizes him and smiles --well, he's finished.

He asked whether I had kids. I told him I had baby girls, too, but somehow they were now 21 and 18.

The older one is due home tomorrow for her final college Spring break, and I can't wait to spoil her. She loves retail therapy, and there's a new boutique that opened nearby. I just got a debit card from Hyundai, to thank me for leasing their product. The card has D1's name all over it.

D2 can't wait to see her sister (and her puppy). Nest year at this time, D2 will be the one coming home for Spring Break, while D1 is working on her Master's degree.

And Wifey and I will look upon them and smile. Mendy the Jew is just starting the journey of his lifetime. I'm glad he knows and appreciates the fact, and has opened his heart to it.