I will begin by stating the obvious, which is that today is November 12th, 2013. 11/12/13. For lack of a better term, I think that it is just a really cool occurrence. It will never happen again, at least in that sequence, and according to sources except for TMZ, today is considered a day of extreme luck and blessings. In fact , millions of people all over the world are getting married today for just that reason.
Personally speaking, today represents something quite extraordinary. Today my parents pack up their home in NJ and make their way to NC, to live all but a few blocks away from my family. I'm sure that this doesn't come as a surprise to many of you, but for those of you who do not know my parents all that well, there was just NO WAY IN HELL that they were going to live that far away from their only child and their precious grandchildren. All kidding aside, they just wouldn't be able to go on with their daily grind without seeing my twins. Can't say I blame them, they are pretty stinkin' rad.
While my father is in all of his retirement glory, my mother holds onto the same sentiments that I did when I first moved south. Shit, who am I kidding? I still hold on to ALL OF IT. New Jersey was my "home." I was born in Syracuse and lived there until I was in 6th grade and there are a lot of memories there, my whole family still lives there. But NJ is where I "grew up." It is where I went through all of things that made me the person that I am today. It is the place where I married my best friend, the place where I had a rather successful career, the place where my babies were born AND conceived. New Jersey is where I fell in love for the first time, it's also the same place that taught me what the true meaning of loss was. I struggled, and I overcame. I made some of the best friends I will ever know. Almost all of my best memories exist there. Some of my worst memories do too.
So really, it only makes sense that I am feeling all sorts of emotion today. Soon my parents, who also happen to be my best friends, will be with me. We will create more memories here...together.
Today just also happens to be my brother's birthday. Joe would have been 44 today. 44! It just doesn't seem possible. My mother, Margaret, gave birth to him 44 years ago today in Germany. That baby boy came to be known amongst everyone that met him as the sweetest , most beautiful baby boy that they had ever seen. That same boy, many years later came to pass as one of the coolest guys anyone had ever met. And unfortunately, he also became known to thousands as Joe Lucido, the boy who took his last breath at 17 years old. That all happened in New Jersey too.
So, I propose this.
I propose that today be a day of remarkable happenings. Maybe there is something happening in your life that deserves a shout out. Or maybe you just got to leave work early. Who knows, maybe tonight as you sleep , something changes. Either way, it's a day that needs to be noticed.
For me, today is the day that my parents make their journey to join me, and we embark on a new adventure.
It also represents the day that my only sibling was brought into this world to change everything. For so many people. He changed me, and my life.
So I raise a toast, and feel free to join me...To this cool ass day..11/12/13
To new beginnings and to remembering
Joe.
Happy Birthday my brother.
I love you.
