Happy Birthday, Tom. ILY

When I was dating Tom, I noticed pets and kids would always go to him.

Scary dogs would wag their tails.

Babies afraid to leave mothers' sides would warm to him.

Like the Horse Whisperer, Tom brings calm with his quiet presence.

When our long awaited bike tour of Italy was interrupted by the news my mother was dying, the siblings were called in from their far flung homes.

Stressful days in the ICU.

The respirator.

Noise.

At the end of each day we would walk into the house to the smell of Tom's cooking.

A table set with flowers.

His wonderful walnut and cranberry salad.

A glass of Fetzer wine.

Our shoulders would ease.

The stress would roll off of us.

Tom doesn't have quite my energy...

...my enthusiasm,

...my degree of passion.

But his calmness in a crazy world is such a blessing.

On a bad workday...

autopsies,

cancer,

death and disease.

I come home to Tom...

....and I am so glad I found him.





Happy birthday, Tom.

ILY