Today is one of those red letter days on the calendar. What happened today that was so important? In 1986 the space shuttle Challenger exploded during takeoff. It took place before a live audience. American recording artists joined to create, “We Are the World” in 1985. In 1973 the cease fire with North Vietnam went into effect and later earned Richard Nixon the Nobel Pease Prize. The Coast Guard was created in 1915 and was added to the armed forces. Famous people celebrating birthdays today are actor Alan Alda who turns 79, actor Elijah Wood who turns 34, ‘N Sinc singer Joey Fatone Jr. who hits 38 and singer Sarah McLachlan who is 47. One more person not yet famous but nevertheless born today is yours truly, Rival Gates. I was born in Port Huron, MI during one of the many cold snaps during winter. My mother insisted I refused to be born until it broke freezing and to her credit, it was 33 degrees the day I came into the world. I was blessed to have siblings to love me and keep me in my place. I dreamt of being a writer from the time I first saw my father’s writing awards. Some were for editorial content. Some were for advertising. Others were for creative works. He had done it all except write a book. That was what I wanted to do from an early age. Imagine your nine year old coming and telling you they want to write a book one day. My parents paid me lip service but didn’t take me seriously until I was thirteen and started my first hand written manuscript for “Quest for the Red Sapphire” (To everyone wondering out there, I knew even then that a red sapphire was just a ruby. Later in the series you find out why it is a red sapphire instead.) My mother had me placed in advanced English and skipped me ahead a grade so I could take college level classes as a senior in high school which would transfer into college credit. She was a very intelligent, far thinking lady. It is on this day that she would always call me. If I was at home or work or traveling to Vancouver for business, she would find out where I was and call to sing me “Happy Birthday” in that perfect pitch high soprano voice of hers. When I was out of town she would even contact strangers to have them buy me a cake and leave it in my room. And before she would hang up the phone, she would sing “Close to You” by the Carpenters to sing me off to sleep. She would always ask how my writing was going and wanted to hear anything new. Now I have a wonderful family and wife who care for me. So perhaps I am not a household name yet, but I’ll get there and in the meantime, I am the star in my family’s sky.
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