Notorious Birthdays – Kelsey Browning

Notorious Birthdays

If you haven’t realized it yet, Smarty Boy is an only child. As you can imagine, people are sometimes nosy and want to know why we didn’t (or God forbid, don’t still try to) have more kids. Sometimes I joke that we did it right the first time, that you can’t improve on perfection.

Although it may sound callous, I also joke that it was just too dangerous to U.S. national security.

Tech Guy was born on December 7. For those not up on your history, that’s Pearl Harbor Day. Granted, he didn’t cause the Pearl Harbor attacks since he was born some 28 years later. But still.

And mine? You guessed it. September 11. For years after the attacks, I couldn’t even celebrate my birthday without feeling guilty. That’s eased over the years, but it’s still a tough day. For me, for all Americans.

I can promise you, though, when people try to poke their noses into my reproductive decisions, telling them that two people born on the only two dates of attacks on American soil probably shouldn’t breed, they quiet down right quick.

Today is National Day of Service and Remembrance. It’s a day I remember to love my country, my family and myself. It’s a day I remember to grieve for the people who no longer have what I have.

If you haven’t seen the movie Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, I highly recommend it. No, it’s not a feel-good bit of entertainment and you will cry, but it’s a story of hurt and healing that will touch your heart.

Leave a Reply 4 comments