Modern Dad, Butterfly Love, My Birthday Plans

Hello there,

Times have changed and so has perceptions. What was once considered a deviation, is now a part of popular culture. Relationships have been redefined. Now we are pushing towards a sense of equality in all matters related to relationships. A friend of mine is headed that way too. Read on for more…


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Send Father’s Day Greetings!
The Modern Dad [June 21]

After morphing from a proud self-confessed geek to a romantic boyfriend, Steve continues to surprise us. Recently he stunned us all by voicing his views on fatherhood and the role of the modern-day father. We were seated in our pad. All of us were there this weekend. The discussion started with Kate complaining about her neighbor who had a whining child. The father of the child got hyper sometimes. Kate told us that the mother quit her job to raise the child. This triggered off the discussion that followed.

Steve took up the thread of the conversation. He told us that the time has come for the modern dad to stay at home and look after the kids. “Why should women be expected to stay at home and give up on a career?” he reasoned. Wow! Now Steve is stoking gender issues! Now that’s a first as well. We rolled our eyes at each other and smiles were covered up with cupped hands and tilted heads. Steve realized that what he said didn’t really go with the fun evening that we were having. Suddenly he burst out laughing and everyone of us relaxed. Then on, it was a blast, like the olden times!


Looking At Butterflies [June 19]

Point of view is not just another tool in the writer’s quiver. It’s something that we all perceive and experience in our daily lives. There are events which bring different reactions in every one of us, and on most times, you cannot dismiss any of these as wrong. Something similar happened to Rachael and her new male friend. Oh, by the way, his name is Charlie, did I tell you that? As it is, Rachael and Charlie are making me repent the numerous library hours I missed. I thought the library was one of the worst and most boring places. But these two young friends are making the library the most underrated dating spot!

This week they had to prepare a lesson on butterflies. They decided to do it together. They pored over insect anatomy books. Rachael told me later, “You know Bob, I kept pointing out the proboscis and the thorax!” I could find no surprise in that. “Of course Rachael,” I offered, “that’s what you should be pointing out.” She replied, “No, Charlie pointed out the beautiful multi-colored wings!” She seemed delighted that Charlie did so. I think our little friend Rachael is head over heels in love! Wonder if we can still find the know-it-all in her, but as of now, it’s a smitten teenager!

Send Butterfly Day Greetings!
Send Butterfly Day Greetings!


Send Birthday Greetings!
Send Birthday Greetings!
My Birthday Plans

This one makes me feel a little full of myself, but I couldn’t really do without writing about it. My birthday is a few days off. It’s time for reflection and coming to terms with what I have and what I want to have. There are so many things in life that belong to us but we have not been able to lay our hands on them, or so we think. A birthday is not just another day in the 365-day cycle. It’s also not a day when you call your friends over and party through the night. I think it’s a day when we should take stock of where we stand in the changing flux of life.

I, for example, think of all these things I have learnt over the last one year. I learnt that friendship is for keeps, but the same cannot be said about love. I have seen relationships break open and ugly carcasses come out in the open. Of course, that’s only one side of the coin. I have also learnt that true love is the only way to absolute happiness and there’s no other way to achieve that. All you guys who want to know how I intend to spend my birthday this year, well, it’ll be very quiet. I don’t feel like going out and partying and all. But, being a New Yorker, you never know! So stay tuned.


Wedding Flowers

Eleanor’s rose garden is starting to bloom. After a lot of back breaking work over the days, the roses are showing up nice. The other day I saw the engaged couple looking at the fresh flowers with a lot of love and appreciation. These are literally the results of their efforts. Frank was telling me the other day, “I really wanted these flowers to come up well.” I asked him why. He replied, “Doing up this place is something that we did together. It’s our first joint venture!” His eyes twinkled as he spoke about his love for these flowers and more so for Eleanor.

I get amazed to see this couple together. These flowers somehow mean much more to them than the onlookers who admire their efforts. These flowers are borne out of their love for each other and their zest to be with each other. For them, the amount of time they get together is not important. It’s how well they spend their time. Togetherness for them is not only holding hands. They want to do something together that lives on in the memory of others as a labor of love. And this brings and sticks this fabulous couple together.

Chili Davis gives us our Zen quote this week: “Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.” That’s nice, isn’t it?

Send Wedding Greetings!
Send Wedding Greetings!

So long then,

Bob
Editor, 123Greetings
FREE GREETINGS FOR THE PLANET

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0 thoughts on “Modern Dad, Butterfly Love, My Birthday Plans

  1. Happy Birthday Bob!

    Hope you have a wonderful day and a year filled with health, happiness and maybe even a new romance or two…. 🙂

    All the very best to you!

    Liz

  2. I love these newsletters and Bob’s style of writing, though he always sticks to everyday things and not bother about some of the pressing concerns which are affecting all of us, globally.
    The quotes are very nice and I wait for these letters each week.

  3. I read the letter of “Dad’s. My fater died 21 years ago and days like his birhday and Fathers Day i miss him very much and wish i could do more for him than i did when he was still alive.

  4. B. To add onto your Zen Quote of the week, what was that song by Tom Waits that Bruce Springsteen covered, “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up?” Precisely. This newsletter is one of your most contemplative. Lot of inner stuff coming out, there, B. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I hear you about friendships and relationships. Though when you have a great friendship in a marriage,like Eleanor and Frank, the love is strong. Those two are soul mates.
    Wishing you a happy birthday. I understand about having a quiet one. That’s what I usually do. My husband makes me dinner and after we mix a few drinks, pop some popcorn and play a board game- either Carcasson, Memoirs 44, Hero Quest or Zombies. Some day on your B-day, we would like to come over to your place, bring along a couple of six packs, snacks and play the game of your choice. Whadjyasay?
    Sending you a cake in the shape of a book with brightly lit “Candles.”
    always your friend, L.

  5. B. Really liked your update on your niece, Rachael and her friend, Charlie and their interest in butterflies. Have you ever read, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story, “The Artist Beautiful?” Rachael and Charlie might be interested in reading about this unique butterfly. It is one of my favorite tales.
    Have a fun Butterfly Day! love, L.

  6. I hope you will have a wonderful reflection on your birth day.Your newsletters are interesting! some times I read them and remain silence depending on the topic,and some times I am forced to share my comments.”Togetherness to them is not only holding hands but also a gesture of hard labor on their love” there is a common saying that;united we stand and divided we fall.So Rachael and Charlie’s success is not a surprise but rather an expectation! This drives me then to the common question that usually guys ask; what do girls want? Rachael’s story is common to many girls, they all want Charlie who takes care of that flower garden,who is there when they need him most,who will lift them up when they stumble and fall,basically charlie who will be their strength and suport in hard time.So when selecting best Charlie, all those factors are considered, not handsomeness nor family background.But rather who do I see first in time of crisis and that is why you see people being friends for long and one decides to let it go.The reason is simple, there was no really Charlie that one saw-not dependable one,not a hand lifter and ,not a wall that one would lean on.
    Normally once all those are not there, every normal girl will let that relationship go.So every girl is Rachael and every guy should be Charlie.Your quote;”growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional” true we usually see people who are old and really do not to grow up, but there is always a price for that , either time wasted which can not return and some times even resource wasted that can not be regained.So my best advise would be to use your time appropriately,cherish it and consider it to a precious gift from God, otherwise how many are dead! do you think if they got a chance of coming back they misuse their time? no they know its graciously given.
    Have a wonderful birth day,full of good reflections.

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