Blog 3077 – 04.03.2024

My Heart Will Go On

On this day thirty-four years ago my son Jonathan David James Wallace White who goes by simply Jay was born. He is pictured above with baby Emma Grace who made me a Papa last August fifth. Last Friday I bought myself a tee shirt that says, “Papa like grandpa only cooler.”

From the time I was a teenager I wanted a son. I even had his name picked out at least his first two names Jonathan David way back then. My wife and I added his two grandpas first names to the two so he would always have them with him as well.

I had to wait over twenty years for Jay since I was almost forty when he arrived. His sister Emily Elaine came ten years earlier. I hoped Jay would get his girl first too for Emily made me a far better dad than I would have been had he come first. I can see Emma is doing the same for Jay, making his heart bigger every day.

Happy Birthday, Son!

Jay only had his sister part time and even then only twenty-two years and both she and his two grandpas were not around to see his Emma arrive. Emily graduated high school here in Houston in 1998 the year after their Grandpa James White passed away. The themes song from the movie Titanic (Today’s song) was so popular that they had a bagpiper play it at her graduation much to the annoyance of her and her classmates for they had been over exposed to it their senior year after the movie came out.

Jay was eight and fascinated to see his sister graduate. I hope to see Emma graduate high school. I remember my wife Linda Lee and I once worried that we might not live to see Jay graduate. Then we watched nervously during his frat party days wondering if he would be alive at twenty-five. We made it and he made it gratefully.

Over my almost seventy-four years I have discarded many beliefs that no longer serve me, but I still believe in the power of love, that part of us that goes on and on. We carry with us in our hearts those we love and they do us as well.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David White

Jay’s first birthday with his sister Emily and her best friend Cindy. Happy Smurf Day, Birthday Boy!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GQ8XkSiSC7rU3iFf572voK4a-TKHc70f/view?usp=drivesdk

My Heart Will Go On