When Something is Wrong With My Baby...

My longtime law parter and dear friend Paul and I have a lot in common. Our law firm, in its current state (Florida) turns 17 in 2 weeks. But both of us identify first as fathers...

Paul's daughter went through a rough time, and for years, whenever her name appeared on his cell phone, he'd stiffen, expecting to have to deal with some situation. Thankfully, his daughter is now doing great --married to a central casting husband, excelling at her teaching job, and now, the new mother of a delightful baby daughter.

When his daughter calls or texts these days, Paul brightens --knowing the news is likely about some milestone in his granddaughter's life...

D1 went off to college newly diagnosed with a chronic illness, and I likewise had a longtime cell phobia. She did very well, but I was always concerned when I'd see HER name --was she sick, or anxious, or sad?

And then, 3 years ago, I got the worst of the dreaded calls...this time from her passenger, on the Turnpike, to tell me there had been a serious car wreck. Thankfully, it was only a ruined Volvo, a chipped vertebra, and broken hand...

I realize that my mood improves instantly when I get good news about my Ds. I just got a text message about D1's new job -- she's the pretty young girl in the slinky black dress who greets customers at stores with "Would you care to try this new brandy?"

She had her first "gig" last night, and her response to my text quiery about how it went was "excellent" with 3 exclamation points...It warmed me.

D2 is much more like me. She keeps the negative and suffering inside, usually...An exception was last Fall, when she was homesick (probably more boyfriend-sick) her freshman year at UF. She sounded SO sad and low, that I flew up to visit her, to make sure we weren't headed for, God forbid, any more Tom Petty -like "American Girl" tragedies. (Although, according to my research, the claim that the song was about a coed who jumped off of Beatty Towers on the UF campus is just a myth).

Well, thankfully, D2 is doing great, too --enjoying her college years, as she said, more than anyone she knows.

In fact, she called from Jacksonville yesterday, to share some hilarious tales of walking through the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party and encountering some less than gallant Georgia sorority boys.

So, as usual, the lyrics of classic rhythm and blues songs ring true: "When something is wrong with my baby...something is wrong with me."

Fortunately, the converse is axiomatic for me, as well: when my Ds soar, my heart is light, and I'm happy.