"Let us die young or let us live forever"

11-11-11 marks my forty-sixth birthday. Today is the Feast of St. Martin of Tours and here in the U.S. it is also Veteran's Day. Along with St. Stephen, St. Martin of Tours, on whose feast I was privileged to be born, is my patron. Like St. Stephen, he is a good companion for my journey. Looking back on my past birthday posts, last year's effort is my best: "[H]e neither feared to die nor refused to live".

St. Martin of Tours, pray for us

This is also my first birthday without having my Dad here to celebrate it with me. He wasn't a really physically affectionate man, but I will miss him leaving my house tonight, giving me a hug, patting me on the back and saying, "I love you pal." My best gift this year is our son, Evan. I am a blessed man who believes in grace and grateful the God does give me what I deserve.

For today's traditio I picked Alphaville's timeless classic Forever Young sung Gregorian-style. If you don't like it, please cut me some slack, it's my birthday!

We don't have the power but we never say never/sitting in a sandpit, life is a short trip/the music's for the sad men/can you imagine when this race is won/turn our golden faces into the sun

UPDATE:

The digital camera delay caused a few issues. (No re-try. Hey, life is imperfect. Well, mine certainly is).