They say that everything has a reason. They say there are no accidents. They also say that sometimes a cigar is a cigar. I remember people saying all of this to me years ago as I tried to make sense out of a difficult period of my life. As I write of this, the words of Bob Dylan come to mind.

They say every man needs protection
They say that every man must fall

Yesterday was a good day. It started off with strawberry picking with Fiona. Later, I took Wesley to the dog park, Fiona to the pool, and the family to the Fairfield Irish Festival. Food in hand, we looked for a place to sit, and found open seats at a table with a couple and a seven year old girl. Fiona became fast friends with the girl and soon, they were exploring the fair on their own as Kim and I sat and told stories with the couple.

Meanwhile, my cellphone beeped as more work emails came in. Friends at work were remembering when AIDS/HIV emerged thirty years ago. Some of my co-workers have been at the health center for longer than those thirty years. There were emails talking about how we can use social media to talk about the fight against AIDS/HIV at the health center for the past three decades and what still needs to be done.

Beside the tent, a merchandise table was being set up for the band, The Rogues. Fiona went over and got a T-shirt and a CD. She had gotten to know them when she interviewed their lead on her radio show a week ago. This too, came from a long chain of events, starting with a visit to Podcamp, picking up information about BlogTalkRadio and the emergence of Fiona’s Radio Show.

What leads us all to this moment in time? It wasn’t some self-help, highly effective, purpose driven plan on my part. Instead, it was simply living each day as well as possible. Perhaps yesterday wasn’t an accident, and although the reaso

ns for yesterday as well as any future ramifications might not yet be clear, it was a good day.

Today, my older daughters are not joining me on Father’s Day. Instead, they are going to the Clearwater Festival. Miranda commented on Facebook what a great day Saturday at the Festival was. I would have liked to have joined them, but it just wasn’t feasible. Nonetheless, it says to me that they have grown into a life valuing things that I value, and for that I am grateful.