Happy Birthday, Abby

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls. Welcome back to the most insightful, annoying, brilliant blog that any of you have ever read. Brilliant? Really? Dad, me and Dante are the only ones who read this drivel! Stop yourself. Please. Nice. Shakespeare the Wondercat is busting my balls. Welcome to my world, everyone. Looking back, I see the last time I have taken pen to paper (so to speak), I was waxing sadly and angrily poetic about the tragedy, hideousness, evil, (pick your poison), that became known as 9-11. Ironically, the sadness and anger of that day makes this post that much more poignant and enjoyable. I’d like to tell you about a young lady who just had a birthday. Her birth and her life is in direct contrast to that day so many years ago. On that day there was death, fear, and confusion. On this day…there is anything but.

 Abigail Hall was born on January 27, 2001. She is the youngest of three children born to Stephen and Kelly Hall. For the record, her older siblings, Morgan and Jacob, are as dear to this writer as Abby is. Suffice it to say, they are great kids as well. But more about them, anon. Abigail’s first public “appearance” was at the wedding of your humble correspondent in October of 2000. She was gorgeous, lively, and I have no idea what I’m talking about since she was in the belly of her mother! That said, I’d like to think that the love and energy of that day had something to do with the dynamo that was born four months later. And boy, was she beautiful when she was born. I’m not very good at seeing family resemblances, but man as cute as she was, I think she looked like me! It is said that no two siblings are alike. I can personally vouch for that as my brother and I have a few differences that some people might call…um…intractable! On the other hand, sometimes the differences are a distinction as opposed to a difference. I think that is the case with Abigail and her siblings. The three of them are unique yet, in their love and respect for other people, especially family, they are angelic. Their desire for connection and communication gives one a sense of hope that might otherwise be lost.

 Abby loves life. She is consumed (whether she knows it or not) with the blessing - the Yahwistic blessing of “more life, into a time without boundaries.” She’s a 15-year-old dancing dynamo that is beholden to no one and no particular dogma or philosophy. She has fallen asleep next to Scout the Wondercat on a pleasant July 4th evening; braved the bone-chilling cold of Maine in autumn (while falling asleep there, as well!); she has made breakfast, lunch and dinner with her Dad; and she has done her best Pele playing soccer, and shopped until she dropped with Grandma all the while trying to find a way to get to the Cheesecake Factory! Abigail Hall is my niece. She is also a unique individual with a story to tell even at this young age. I’m not usually a fan of youngsters telling their story. They’re too young – they don’t have a clue – and most of the time, they’re too stupid…about life. But like most things in life, there are exceptions. Happy Birthday, Abby. Uncle Peter loves you.