Birthday

I spent a good part of my birthday on Sunday at the Shrine of St. Terese. It was a very peaceful day to think and ponder my next moves. I had my I-pod and I listened to Frank Sinatra sing “It Was a Very Good Year” several times.

From the Shrine I could see Eagle reef where I almost had a disaster when I hit a rock with my boat when I was going out fishing with Brittany this past summer. I could see the entrance to North Pass and South Benjamin Island. Two of my favorite places to go fishing. There were several whales in the distance. I could see their spouts in the bright sunshine.

An old man came to the Shrine. He placed some yellow roses at the base of the big cross at the shrine that looked like they were made of gold in the light of the setting sun. He bowed his head for a few moments and seemed to cry for a bit then he left without even noticing me.

Alaska Governor Sean Parnell and his family came to the Shrine while I was there and it was good to see him again. We met each other at the Alaska Youth Leadership Workshop held at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus in the summer of 1977. His daughter Grace is an aspiring photographer and she took a photo of the governor and me.

So when I think about the past years highlights it was like Sinatra said. “It was a very good year.” There were lots of great friends, weather, fishing and adventures.

After my day at the Shrine I had dinner with my Moser family. It was Patty's birthday as well. It was so good to be surrounded by family.

Today is the shortest day of the year. Tomorrow there will be a few more seconds of daylight than today. In just a few months it will be bright and warm again. And fish will raise again for my boat the Tupelo Honey.