Thursday, April 15, 2010

Everett Daniel Mintz



Born at 5:52pm PDT on April 15th, 2010, a happy and healthy Everett Daniel Mintz was born to Dan & Catie Mintz in Los Angeles, California. Everett is named after Pam's father, Everett Cope.
I'm tired. It's been a long, amazing birthday. I awoke with the tiredness of vivid dreams that come with big birthdays, but also with a feeling about life--a feeling of strength, of energy, of time, effort, freedom, flow--a feeling based on being happy with how I'm spending my energy--the work I do and things I learn. A feeling of hopefulness based on my own ever-changing capacities---and the capacity for change and growth that accompanies effort and openness.
The morning was confusing--talking to a lawyer for help on a house--too much to get into. And then minor setbacks--no wallet equals no food, and pants that cannot be returned. Silly things, they did not phase me. News from the west coast was pouring in--it's really going to happen, they'd say. They were going to the hospital.
As my phone's battery died at school, the bounciness of my knees increased. I felt disconnected, out of touch. I called in sick to work.
At home I was greeted by a loving girlfriend and a slew of birthday surprises. As the day wore on, it felt less and less like my birthday and more like the day Everett is born. I did not mind this one bit. I had felt my birthday so much the whole morning, and felt it so good, I didn't care that our collective energy was directed so much at Evie and Catie and their actions.
The parents came over; we ate, sat anxiously; most of the pacing took place in our minds and hearts--and most of it during the last 10 minutes, the time when things shifted from anxious to frustrated then, finally, to frightened. In the end he came out and he came out fine. Happy, healthy, tired, beautiful, safe, loved.