Dear ,

If you would indulge me for a bit, I’m going to share a bit of my personal life with you today.

I’m an only child. My mom passed away 5 years ago, and my dad is 92 and lives alone 3,000 miles from me. Although my daughters and I visit as much as we can, and he has home aides, this year his, 92nd birthday falls on Thanksgiving, and I decided to fly him to California to stay with me for a few weeks. He has dementia.

Now, my dad hates to travel and was not looking forward to this. 😂 He doesn’t like airports or waiting in line. The entire process will send him on a torrent of complaints. So, I decided to give him the First-Class Experience.

For context, this man had to endure the civil rights era and, before that, Jim Crowe. He had to drink from colored water fountains, he had to sit in the back of trains and buses. He had to endure derogatory name-calling and discrimination as a police officer in the 1960’s, and now, at 92 years old, he was going to experience First Class.

Even though I know that with his dementia, he would not remember most of it, he still deserved the experience.

Here are some photos:

At the Lounge in JFK. From waiting for his wheelchair in style to having a 3-course meal with a celebratory birthday dessert and enjoying champagne on the plane, he enjoyed every moment of it. And he doesn’t remember any of it. What a lesson in being present and enjoying the moment.

I knew he wouldn't remember it, so I made sure to take lots of photos to jog his memory. I also relished the joy on his face while he was being present, in the moment, of each and every step of the journey.

I learned so much about the power of being present by just watching him. Let me not worry about tomorrow or my to-do list. Tomorrow is not even guaranteed. Life can change in an instant, like it did when my mom died suddenly and unexpectedly.

So, please join me in celebrating my dad today on his 92nd birthday. It’s about time he traveled in style. In the very front of the plane. The first on line. The first to board. And the first to get his champagne.

Cheers daddy! And cheers to living life in the present moment and finding the joy at 92 years old!

Happy Thanksgiving!

All the best,