Dad, I want a horse.

Hey blog readers...many times in life, I find myself understanding that on some level my child is becoming me. Well the other day Sharkboy approached me, via telephone, with a question I can remember asking my parents. "Dad, can I get a horse?" Now the question itself conjures memories of innocent dreams and unobtainable wishes. I remember asking my parents if I could get a horse. We lived in a neighborhood, zoned residential and surrounded by the typical suburban American homes. My Dad responded with an emphatic no, and my Mom tried to reason with me. I had visions of having a horse like "Mr. Ed". His barn would be red, his pasture would be right outside my window and my window would swing out like a barn door so he could stick his horse head in and visit me anytime I was in my room. I wasn't an unrealistic child, I knew he wouldn't speak, but we would live forever as friends. My Mom reasoned with me that we couldn't because the yard wasn't big enough, and that horses weren't allowed in the neighborhood. She however left me with this little hope that appeased me on some level to drop this. She simply said, maybe one day if we ever live in a place that would allow such a thing we just might be able to do it. My dad simply said "no, and that is final". No reasoning, no hope, just an emphatic NO from my Dad and that was it. I tried to have a mixed response at my answer to this question, however, him being my son had an answer for everything. I first tried the we don't have enough room argument, he replied he could live in the retention basin and keep the grass short. I then responded with, our barn(or shed by any other standard) was not big enough, his response was we could just get a smaller horse. Then I said we live in a neighborhood and that it doesn't allow horses, his response was that they wouldn't say anything. He then continued with have you seen some of the stuff in this neighborhood, and no body says anything about that. So at this point when I realised that I was matched up against a miniature me, I took my Dad's road at this point...and an emphatic No was expressed. He is a bit heart broken, but seems to understand that for reasons he can not comprehend we aren't going to be getting a horse anytime soon. But for all I know in 30 years he will be posed with this same question and I hope he remembers the hope and dream he once had of having a horse and understands why it some times is not possible to fulfill your child's wish.

On another topic, recently at Notre Dame a student tragically lost his life pursuing a dream of being a journalist. He was a student worker that filmed practices at Notre Dame for the football team. I never knew this young man, and don't pretend to have, but it is still tragic. From all outward appearances this appears to be a very preventable accident. He was on a scissor lift 30+ feet in the air in very windy conditions(25+ mph sustained winds). Long story short, the scissor lift blew over and he was mortally injured. There are many comments out there about why was he up there, why would anyone put a person in that sort of peril, etc... I have many of those same questions, but foremost in my mind is his family and friends. Tragidy has no warning and I hope his family finds peace and I hope that his friends can do the same. It is never a good time to lose a loved one. So take a minute in your busy day, appreciate what you have, and say a little prayer for his family and friends that they find peace in this very tragic lose.

Enjoy your weekend everyone. Go Irish!

Be Kind, Be Safe,

Shalom my Peeps!