DAMIEN'S 27

For our grandson Damien’s 27th birthday.. We innocently told him, “Pick the place…any place you want to eat.” He chose The Brisket Shoppe…where their specialty is meat. What a wonderful restaurant choice…the vegetarians in us hesitatingly said. realizing while the rest of our family would be eating meat… we’d be eating mac-and-cheese instead. But this was Damien’s birthday…and as all grandparents know: Where your grandchild wants to go on his birthday…this is where we go! One of the beauties of our memories is not only the exquisite way we weave them but also…no matter where we are, how easily we retrieve them. 27 year of memories in our minds randomly found their way… from the moment he was born to the Brisket Shoppe that day. We remembered holding him in our arms…pushing him in a stroller babysitting…playing in the pool… Christmases, soccer games….more soccer games…heading off to school. I imagine that’s why we didn’t mind going to a restaurant where all we could eat was Mac and cheese… because we didn’t come for the meat… we came to taste the memories. And by the time we were done eating… our bellies and our minds were pleased… filled with a little mac and cheese…and a host of memories We are ready and already anticipating next year… when we’ll be happy to celebrate… another year of memories… when Damien turns 28.