Haircut

One of my least favorite personal maintenance tasks is getting a haircut. At least I am wise enough to be thankful that I have enough hair to groom at 71 years of age. Thank goodness for Claire, my barber. She is exceedingly competent as a hair expressionist and a very delightful soul (who definitely has the gift of gab).

I shared with her some of the warm experiences my adult lifelong partner and wife Mimi and I enjoyed during the Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year’s celebrations. (My last haircut was before Thanksgiving … told you that I do not like haircuts).

Then, the God wink occurred. Pastor Davis Chappell of Brentwood United Methodist Church mentored us during last November to expect the unexpected as we grow in Christ.

Well, Claire, upon hearing some of my holiday stories, picked up the conversation and candidly discussed a daughter’s young years living with an alcoholic father. So bad, that she would visit with relatives during summer months primarily to take a break from him in the absence of a living mother. Turns out that he suffered under an alcoholic father. Then, she said something that, on one hand, was wonderful and, on the other hand, was sad.

Claire said she forgave her dad when he was still living … which was good for him. However, he left a legacy of alcoholism for surviving family members. Lord, help us!

What does this have to do with DMD? Family legacy matters. We Duchenne parents and grandparents should increase our efforts to reach out to other DMD parents and grandparents to learn what to expect at certain ages and phases of the rare disease. My son-in-law and I have already done that to a certain degree; however, I hereby make a resolution in 2023 to pick up the pace and depth of reaching out to those who have gone before us with respect to raising and caretaking for children with DMD.

We are not alone. It took a haircut for me to be reminded of that important dynamic. Guess I will not wait so long next time to get in Claire’s chair!

Kindly yours,

Papa in Franklin