On this day in 1960, i turned eight years old. (Nov. 8 my 8th birthday) I remember my mother and late father gathered around the cake decorated with eight flaming candles. As you’d expect, I was asked to make a wish. I was eight, I didn’t wish for plastic Army men, a frisbee, an old west six shooter, a Davy Crocket musket and electric football game (the one that vibrated with a tiny fuzz football.)
November 8th, 1960 there was an election. Richard Nixon was running against John F. Kennedy. I was eight years old, but the election must have captured my imagination. As i looked at the cake with the flaming eight candles. i thought.. “Kennedy” “i want Kennedy to win”.. Drew a deep breath and blew all the candles out (if you don’t blow them all out your wish.)
The next morning my wish had come true.
Fast-forward to 2016. Once again, my birthday is election day. (It happens every now and again. Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected Nov. 8th 1932. George H. W. Bush was elected on Nov. 8th in 1980, Abraham Lincoln was re-elected Nov. 8th, 1864.)
This weekend, i was presented by a wonderful birthday cake, by my friend Kim Humphrey. There were six or 8 candles burning. In the exact moment I saw the burning candles, i flashed back to the last birthday my father was alive. In a moment I was eight years old again and once again it was almost election day.
“Make a wish!!!!” Blow out the candles!!” So, i did. I took a deep breath and blew out the candles.. All of them. The wish i made was essentially the same wish i made fifty-six years ago. Tomorrow we will see if i get my wish!