Today my third child, my second son, my most spirited offspring thus far, is five years-old. There were sparkles in his eyes when I woke him up with the traditional birthday serenade. He could not have been more thrilled to be turning a year older.
He is our hardest kid to parent, by far, but he is also the one who takes every minute of his life with the greatest amount of enthusiasm imaginable. There is never a dull moment living with Ben, and there is never anything taken for granted- he appreciates all of what goes on around him and for him. And sometimes, as I lay in bed at night, I wonder if it isn't Ben, with all of his challenges, who holds the key to true happiness in life- live in the moment and for the moment, and leave the rest behind. When it snows, he shovels even the flurries off of the sidewalk,

gleeful that the white stuff has appeared at all. When it rains, he stomps in the mud. When he eats, it is with the gusto of a King at a banquet. He offers to everyone whom he cares about all of his being, often declaring, with no hesitation "I love you so much", even to the cats. We are all better because of his birth, five years ago, and the future is brighter for the whole world, knowing his capacity for creating joy all around him.