~Happy Happy Birthday Godson~

I was only 20, engaged to your Uncle Jim, when I became your Godmother. I loved you from the first moment I met you. I knew from the beginning that you were very special. You haven’t disappointed me! When Jeff was just 7, he decided he was going to call his new baby brother, ‘Tom’, after his favorite cousin, no matter what. So….we named our second little son Thomas, after you! And it was only natural that you should be HIS Godfather!

Look at all you’ve done in your 40 years here on earth:

*Worked at Disney World during summers between college years, dancing in the ballroom section of the Main Street Electrical Parade; was Tigger for 15 years; played a reindeer in the televised Christmas parade; and (my favorite): Prince Charming! A very appropriate role for you, IMHO.

*Graduated from Loyola, magna cum laude.

*Worked at MTV creating on-air promos as an Associate Producer.

*Work in live theater with a 30 year San Francisco cultural institution, Beach Blanket Babylon.

* Volunteer for the Oakland Public Library / Head Start partnership (in low-income communities) reading stories to children.

*Lead teacher's workshops, summer camps with your bag of developmentally focused stories, songs, movement activities, and listening games.

*You’re finally working on that children’s book I’ve bugged you about for years!

I love spending time with you, Tom. I’m so happy that you and your Godson had time together earlier this month when Tommy was there on business. I was SO jealous!

I’m proud that you took the bad hand that life dealt you, and turned it around. I’m quoting you directly, here, as I can’t say it any better than you have:

“In 1992 I became HIV positive. I was young and I made a mistake, but no one deserves HIV. It was a terrible price to pay. I can say that today I am a much better, stronger and healthier person because that happened. It took me some difficult years to pick up the pieces, but that very act was totally empowering. In 2007 I celebrated 15 years living with HIV (in 1992, a doctor told me I had 6 years to live). To celebrate I rode my bike in the AIDS LifeCycle from San Francisco to LA (535 miles in 7 days) and raised $3,000 for the SF Aids Foundation. I'm in great physical shape and the doctors say I'll live until I'm 90.”

So my dear Tom…..may you live a healthy, happy life way beyond that 90 year mark the doctors are predicting!

I love you.

Your Godmother

xoxoxoxox