Always trust your cape (happy birthday dan)

One of my favorite Dan stories happened when he was around 7 or 8. He told me in a rather matter of fact way that he was going to jump off the roof. It is a lucky thing I was listening because I might have just said "That's nice, dear" - and he probably would have gone ahead and jumped.

Instead I said "Why would you want to do that?"

His answer was, "I want to have a near death experience. I want to find out what happens when you die. I think it would be pretty boring to just be buried in the ground and lie there and heaven might be boring too".

He had heard about near death experiences, apparently. He also was getting pressure from the Mormon kids in the neighborhood because we didn't go to church. Just like when I was a kid and the Catholic kids told me I was going to go to this place called Limbo when I died because I wasn't baptized and wasn't Catholic. Maybe Limbo is what Dan was worried about too. I am sure glad the Catholics decided to do away with Limbo. The worst thing that could happen to us non-Mormons going to Heaven is that we would be relegated to a lesser part of Heaven and would not get our own planet. I am okay with that because I bet you can drink coffee there.

I explained to Dan that he might have a death experience if he jumped off the roof, and maybe we should just start going to church so he could learn something about the answers to those questions.

We went to church one Sunday and he came out of the Sunday School class looking kind of down. When I asked him what was wrong he said "None of my questions were answered".

Well my son, as you now know, many people go to church for years and have not found the answers to those questions even though some claim to know. Even you, after reading the entire Bible in high school, on you 23rd birthday and on the way to medical school, don't have the answers. You won't find them in medical school either. That is not to say that you won't share many near death (and death) experiences with many many people. Religion requires a leap of faith - but spirituality is real and maybe more comforting sometimes.

I thought of you when I heard a song by Guy Clark called "The Cape". It goes like this:

Eight years old with a flour sack cape
Tied all around his neck
He climbed up on the garage
Figurin’ what the heck
He screwed his courage up so tight
The whole thing come unwound
He got a runnin’ start and bless his heart
He headed for the ground

He’s one of those who knows that life
Is just a leap of faith
Spread your arms and hold you breath
Always trust your cape

All grown up with a flour sack cape
Tied all around his dream
He’s full of piss and vinegar
He’s bustin’ at the seams

He licked his finger and checked the wind
It’s gonna be do or die
He wasn’t scared of nothin’, Boys
He was pretty sure he could fly

He's one of those that knows that life
Is just a leap of faith
Spread your arms and hold your breath
Always trust your cape

Old and grey with a flour sack cape
Tied all around his head
He’s still jumpin’ off the garage
And will be till he’s dead
All these years the people said He’s actin’ like a kid
He did not know he could not fly
So he did

He's one of those who knows that life
Is just a leap of faith
Spread your arms and hold your breath
Always trust your cape

So, my sweet son, happy 23rd birthday. I love you. Know that we are very proud of you and your accomplishments. You will make a great doctor and I hope you never believe anyone who tells you that you can't fly.

And, I can't think of any better advice to give you than "Always trust your cape".