My dad

This weekend was the BIG surprise party for my father's 60th birthday, which is coming up next month. I couldn't tell you about it, obviously (although I don't think he or my stepmom have been coming over here more than a few times at best), just in case. But it's been in the works for a long time, since the winter actually, after my middle sister pointed out that since our parents divorced in 1990, there was never even one of his birthdays when all three of us were present. I don't deserve much credit for the huge amount of organization that was required for this one night though: my sisters do.

Anyway, it was an emotional night for an emotional milestone. My dad the doctor has been working like crazeeey all of his life, since even before I was born. It makes me mad when people complain about doctors being sort of soulless, materialistic and especially greedy; yes he makes more money that most, but it's a calling, people. Think working basically every day, weekends, nights, Holidays, leaving precipitously during numerous important occasions to rush to the hospital... All the time. For over thirty-five years. In my hometown, there aren't many doctors, so it's just part of the deal, take it or leave it. He's always taken it, because for him it's always been about the people, the patients. He has a good but pretty average house, a good but pretty average car... The only luxury they actually splurge on is traveling, which they usually do three times a year (China was their last destination, and Argentina is the next). He's doing well tough, easily looking and feeling a decade younger. But he's now turning sixty, and finally considering the next part of his life. He doesn't plan on retiring any soon -he'll need a young doctor to come and replace him before anyway. But it's coming. And I think it's going to be really weird for him to adjust.

In order to present a slideshow at the party, I recently went through and scanned tons of pictures of him from different eras. And I especially loved the following ones, from his early twenties. My dad. Brilliant med student. Young, fierce, selfless doctor and father to three little girls. Middle-aged human being, going through a really tough time after which he was never completely the same. And now grandfather, sixty, serene, thinking about retirement. Stages of life.