The Best Day of My Life (A New Series)

In many ways, it was the best day of my life…

It was the day after Christmas. We gathered in your grandparents’ living room, sipping the remainder of our Irish coffees and fighting for a decent view of the TV. I watched you as a little boy. You were sporting a bright teal shirt, jean shorts, and a bowl hair cut. You had those same beady eyes I love so much and that all too familiar smile that reflects your simple fascination with life. It was my first time meeting your four-year-old self. I watched as Grandpa Morrissey followed you around with his video camera. And I can barely begin to describe how much deeper in love with you I fell in that moment. That moment when everyone else was laughing at your brother Josh in his geometric rainbow pants, and then at Cal suffocating poor little Corey with his hugs. In that moment, I tried to hide inside your arms so others wouldn’t notice the tears streaming down my face. But they wouldn’t stop.

In that moment I realized I was meeting the boy the childhood-Alyse had always dreamed about. (Technically, if you were four, then I was one). But it was you. And you were right on that screen. On the best day of my life, I realized even more how much I love you. And that I’ve loved you for our entire lives.

Photo taken by Peter Morrissey of Dylan and his sister Nina. (But I like to pretend it’s me.) ;)