A B-day Already Again

A B-day Already Again

So I just got back from a movie based on a true story and if you can make Major League Baseball pitching prospects out of two country boys from India in the span of a year, it’s easy to grasp the concept that life is full of surprises and possibility.

I had a birthday (already again) a couple of weeks ago and I’ve now been walking the land one year longer than my dad. Most B-days are cause for reflection; this one moved the reflection needle to the next level.

The two young men in Million Dollar Arm experienced a lasting life change just inside the intersection of Jefferson and Vermont; so did I. They won a contest; I hit the family lottery.

From the time I was 15-years old, I wanted to be a dentist (I also wanted to be an artist or a professional basketball player but I was at least a good enough student to read the handwriting on the wall.) And okay; first things first, I wanted to go to college.

And don’t know about you guys, but I’ve definitely retained a long track record of talking the talk while having serious deep-down reservations about my ability to walk the walk. I give you a Fall Quarter GPA of 2.13 at Cal State LA as proof.

My parents had dreams too; but their dreams were focused on their children.

Dad wrote notes to Mom that still bring tears and smiles to my eyes; he could look at a column of numbers and give you the total faster than Rain Man on speed. Mom did the books and impersonated an Iron Chef in the kitchen; she also retained a PhD in Child Psychology and it came in handy even when her youngest child hit half-a-century.

And my parents didn’t go to college; they gave up their dream home for my education.

Me, I’ve been selfish from Day One. And there’s actually a universal Law of Reciprocation, the active enforcement of which would have me doing serious hard time in Folsom or at least the 405 during rush hour. As Team Leader Extraordinaire Dani frequently reminds me, “…and you wonder why you haven’t been snatched up yet.”

But I’m getting better because…what other direction is there?

Sometimes the rear view mirror is helpful in appreciating life’s surprises. Looking back, I still can’t believe I actually aced organic chemistry or received a Bachelor’s degree or got accepted into dental school. Still can’t believe I have a DDS from USC, the ivory tower standing tall in the neighborhood of my early youth.

Life’s surprises can also be cruel. Can’t believe I only had a big brother for 19-years; still can’t believe I got my last hug from Dad only two months into my new business.

And I never dreamed Mom would generate my business plan, vision, and mission. I didn’t foresee my Aunt Clara keeping the vision alive.

We’re on a mission to give. And I never dreamed being a dentist would put me in touch with kindred spirits I absolutely love and respect and who make me as proud as a father seeing his daughter walk down the aisle, make the Dean’s List, or just have a life lived more richly than mine. We’re in transition right now and it’s like two of my daughters have moved out and onto a zip code that might as well be receiving letters sent to Mars.

Hard work doesn’t necessarily guarantee success. Taking chances can be scary; change can be unsettling and frustrating. My family here on Las Tunas has done all of the above, even though I actually have the test results to prove they’ve been closer to the Twilight Zone than their comfort zone.

40-years ago, I never dreamed I’d see patients in the image of my mom and dad. I thought I’d be rich and retired by the time I hit May, 2014…and that…would have been a personal tragedy.

What’s awesome Dad, is I’m still learning and growing. I finally get it that each challenge and frustration is an opportunity and the chance for a breakthrough. And I’m surrounded by people I love and serve and I absolutely won’t let them down.

Never claimed to be a quick study but like I’ve always said, immaturity can keep you young…but so can the company of a loving, giving family who can make dreams and fulfillment come true.

Dad, it was a great birthday. Doesn’t seem possible that I’ve hit this number but we both know I needed way more years than you to get things right.