Time Makes You Bolder

 Wifey loves the song "Landslide," by Stevie Nicks. I do, too -- it's such a lovely reflection about a young person realizing that time marches on, for the world and herself. Seems like a lot of that's going on lately.

Of all things, for me the realization is coming from law schools. Our close friends Mike and Loni's boy Chris was always an adorable tow headed, gravelly voiced kid -- happy to tag along with his older sister Amanda and her BFF D2. Often, then D2 and Amanda were doing girlie things, Chris would be off by himself playing with toy soldiers and other boy stuff. That period of his life is etched in my memory.

Well -- he graduated from law school, passed the Florida Bar, and is working as a real ass lawyer. This whole process seemed to take a few months to me.

Also, Rabbi Yossi and Nechama's boy Mendel. When we met the folks who would become our guides back to Judaism, Mendel was a baby -- the first of what became NINE siblings. We figured Mendel would stay in the family business and become a Rabbi, but instead he ended up at UF Law -- and he was just sworn in yesterday as a Florida lawyer. Alas, he doesn't plan to practice -- he's already working in Finance in Ohio, but the fact is somehow another baby became a lawyer -- right before my eyes.

Mendel's classmate at UF happened to be Courtney, the daughter of my friend Darren. According to Mendel, Courtney was the star of the class. She also happens to be a beautiful young Black woman -- I figured she would end up on Wall Street or some other high 6 figure job. Well -- she sailed through the Bar, too, and is working as a Public Defender in Tampa -- she wants a career in public service. I was joking with Darren -- he figured she'd become rich. She will -- rich in her contributions to life.

I remember Courtney, also as a young girl, at a party my friend Steve hosted for many of his cop friends and fellow travelers, like me. That pretty young girl with the braided hair is now also a full grown lawyer.

Meanwhile, a big family day approaches: Wifey's birthday. She's a Xmas baby, and the Ds have taken to calling her day Wifey-mas. This year we won't be doing her usual request -- going to see a movie together, followed by Chinese food. But D1 and Joey and our beautiful grandson will be coming over -- D2 and Jonathan will have to settle for FaceTime on account of Covid, and we'll bring in whatever Wifey chooses.

The truth is, her greatest source of joy lately is that baby grandson. He happens to look an awful lot like his mother, D1, although a much fatter, male version. But he has D1's sparkling eyes, and to Wifey, she gets to play with her beloved first born over three decades later. She never tires of his company -- in fact she can't get enough of him. It's beautiful to see.

So, indeed, as Stevie sang, children get older. And we're getting older, too. Wifey is sensitive about her age, and so I never share it -- except to say it's the subject of a catchy Paul McCartney tune from the Beatles' "Sergeant Peppers" album.

The plague burns on. My doctor friends have all gotten, or soon will, the vaccine. I'm hoping to get the jab sooner than later. Our governor says all Floridians should get it by February. Since he's as accurate and truthful as the outgoing cartoon character president, I don't believe him, but I hope he's correct.

In the mean time, it's wonderful to watch the young grow and mature. Even if they become lawyers.