A hopeful note on Father’s Day

I defeated my father, something I enjoy thinking about on Father’s Day. I beat him like a busted garage sale bongo. I became a happy human being. That’s right! For 35 years all I’ve done is make cool shit for money and along the way I’ve seen Mt. Fuji appear out of the mist, walked the Rift Mountains in Africa, swam in the Bay of Thailand at sunset, mugged a mugger under the Eiffel Tower at dawn, seen the swirling Northern Lights far north where the roads end, eaten fine things and drank confusingly expensive wines. I once married a radiant Italian actress that I kinda sorta met on an airplane to where we got married- the next day. We’re still friends! A whole bunch more shit, too, but also truly important things he aspired to but was unable to achieve- a broad circle of bright, goodnatured people, love, peace, and dreams I can touch because they became real. In fact I’m having fun right now and I had a reasonably good time yesterday. I expect tomorrow will be alright, too. I wish my brothers had been as fortunate, but at least one of us made it. A life well lived isn’t revenge, dear reader. It’s your right AND your responsibility. Be better than your father and beat his ass at life. Be better at being alive. Improve on what you were shown to be. If he was a good one, he’ll be proud. If he was bad, well, you gloat.