In Which I Shep Nachas
(Express joy about my kids and grandkids)
I’m Sooooooo Old
My 18-year-old grandson, Jovani, graduated from high school this past Wednesday. This is Jojo before:
And this is Jojo after, with (from left) his older brother Anthony; dad Sandro; little brother Aydrien; mom Cristina (with the biggest smile); and some random old guy whom Cristina paid $1 to get in the photo:
This is how Jojo began his “speech”: “I’d like to give big thanks to my parents for conceiving me.” Might as well start at the beginning.
I started changing diapers in 1983, when my wife, Maggie, and Cristina and I became a family and Cristina was 2 years old. I changed my younger daughter, Daniela’s diapers in the late 1980s and early 1990s. I changed Anthony’s and Jojo’s diapers in the 2000s. I changed Aydrien’s last diaper earlier this year. I have been changing diapers for 41 years and, God willing, I’ll change many more in the years to come. What a wonderful way to measure the passage of time.
Best. Portrait. Ever.
Of me by Aydrien.
My life is complete.
My Famous Photographer
Daniela took this photo for a wearable health-technology company ad, which appeared in the May 5, 2024 New York Times. She would have made a great geologist.
Correction
In the “Thoughts-letter” two weeks ago, I reprinted an essay by Daniel Delgado entitled, “Are Jews Indigenous?”, which originally appeared on Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg’s website, “Life is a Sacred Text.” Danya criticized me for reprinting the essay without her or Daniel’s permission. She pointed out that she had paid Daniel for his work, and that she had put in the work to prepare the essay for publication. She was right. I apologized and donated $25 to her website as a bit of recompense. Lesson learned.