Better late than forgetful

In some ways, I’m a terrible son. I’m sure I don’t talk to my mother enough (what son really does?), and I’m a repeat offender of forgetfulness.

My family is Italian, so we kind of sidestep St. Patrick’s Day and celebrate the less popular Italian equivalent, St. Joseph’s Day. Despite that my father reminded me about it this year, when I was at my parents’ house the other day, my father asked, “Where were you on Sunday?”

“What was Sunday?”

“St. Joseph’s Day.”

My response was simple and matter of fact. “I forgot.”

I’m not sure anyone can blame me. I’m not fan of a holiday where you eat red pasta sauce that tastes like fish, substitute bread crumbs for parmesan cheese (so the pasta is both dry and fishy), and nearly choke to death on a herring bone (yes, it’s possible, it happened to me when I was kid).

I’m forgetful in one other major way, too. I never, and I mean never, remember any of my parents’ important dates, except for my mother’s birthday (which is April 3—Happy Birthday Mom!). I know my father’s birthday is September 18 and their anniversary is in May…maybe. I don’t even have the forethought to call my sister (who knows the strictest details of everyone in my family) and ask, “Isn’t it mom and dad’s anniversary sometime soon, meaning within the next several months?”

And if I do remember, I’m late.

Eleven years ago, I arrived at my parents’ fortieth anniversary just after the mass, where they renewed their vows, let out. I arrived just as my family was taking a photo on the front steps of St. Josaphat Church. Look there, I’m hanging off the end like a distant relative, several generations away from the nucleus of this whole thing: my parents.

Flash-forward ten years to their fiftieth anniversary. Wouldn’t you know it, I did the same thing. I rounded the corner to the church, and there my family was, ALL of them, posed for the photo. One had already been taken when my brother saw me and told me, rather directly, “Get in the photo.” I literally stood in the exact same spot I was standing ten years previous. Only this time, I got what I guess was coming to me.

When my parents sent out their thank you cards, they printed them on the family photo…the first photo that didn’t include me! Nothing against my parents.

But don’t think me too bad a son, because my forgetfulness of major life events follows me into other areas of my life. Believe me, there are several jokes circulating about how my birthday and my and my wife’s anniversary are the same day, so I wouldn’t forget. What these jokesters don’t know is I often forget my birthday, and on any given day can barely tell you how old I am without considerable thought and finger counting. It’s also hard for my wife and me to remember exactly how long we’ve been married.

All this said, it won’t surprise that it was only two weeks ago that I realized the importance of this edition of the Sun Day. It’s edition number 50! The next edition, however, is our second-year anniversary, and I’ve been so consumed by that benchmark that I completely overlooked that 19 editions in 2010 plus 25 editions in 2011 plus 6 editions so far in 2012 equals 50.

And I don’t even have a celebration planned or pictures arranged, I thought.

I decided to hold off most celebratory comments (including those thanking the Sun Day staff) until our two-year-anniversary edition of April 5. (Come on, how many times in a row can we pat ourselves on the back, after all?) Furthermore, we’re celebrating a major announcement in our next edition, so we want to keep the party poppers and noisemakers pocketed until then. But I assure you, when the April 5 ball drops, it’s worth celebration.

I would like to thank our dedicated readership of the Sun City community for sticking with us for 50 editions, for being constant readers, and, of course, for being constant frequenters of our advertisers, which we wouldn’t be able to produce the Sun Day without. Fifty editions is a testament not only to the Sun Day’s commitment to you but to your commitment to sharing your stories, your news, your lives with us and your community. And we value your participation with the highest regard. I say sincerely that the Sun Day has only evolved into the beloved and respected newspaper it is in the Sun City community because of our readers and your participation.

Thank you. Here’s to 50 more!

Chris La Pelusa
Managing Editor

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