Happy Birthday Cameron

My nephew turns 8 today. Hard to believe - they say time flies and it really seems like the past 8 years have done just that.

I cannot help but reflect on the monumental amount of change that has transpired in the past 8 years (both from a personal and world view). In 1997, I was married (to a woman), living in the suburbs of St. Louis, and preparing for a 5 month work stint in Germany. Cameron was born 15 days before I was to depart for Germany. I did not get a chance to see him prior to leaving (as my sister and her family were in Chicago) and did not get to meet the little guy until December of the same year.

I could write a whole book on the voyage from July 1997 to today, but will keep this post brief. Obviously, the world has changed considerably in those 8 years. I had never logged onto the internet at this time 8 years ago - I did for the first time a few months later. Bill Clinton was in the White House, the economy was booming, and terrorism was something that happened someplace else. Wow - what a change.

So, today, I wonder what Cameron's life holds for him. I can only hope and pray that some of the negatives of the last 5 years reverse themselves at some point. I hope he continues to grow up in an environment of tolerance and understanding where he knows and is proud of the fact that he has two gay uncles (yes, my brother is gay as well). I worry about the competition he will face out there - getting into the right school, finding a strong career path in an increasingly competitive global economy, and, most importantly, be able to balance it all and enjoy life.

So, Happy Birthday, Cameron. Even though your uncle in California does not get to see you all that often, he is thinking of you....