Standing in the delivery room in NJ the night of April 11, '74 in hospital garb, watching my then-wife Cynthia Elaine at the end of labor with the doctors and nurses beginning to surround her, I knew that a new life was about to emerge into the world. I could not imagine what her thoughts were, but my mind & heart were racing. "Am I prepared to be a dad - will I be a good father?" It was “ready or not” here I am & out popped my son - Alan Todd. It was both exhilarating and confronting at the same moment.
Let's fast forward to October 12, '88; and this time I'm standing with similar garb in a hospital in the Bronx, NY where my now wife Cynthia Rene is lying waiting for the doctors to perform a C-Section. Similarly, my mind & heart were racing. "Will I be a better father this time/will I be there to walk her down the aisle? While one mind could see the procedure (not so pretty) the other went somewhat into a daze. Stirred out of it when the nurse handed me Alena Chantel. I was somewhat startled and welcoming at the same moment.
In both cases, I heard the deep voice inside saying life is different now. "You've just extended yourself outside of you." While it was daunting, it was gratifying with great wonder - "It's a miracle! Todd is almost 47 & Alena is 32.