Happy Birthday!

Today is a significant day in the Cooper household and in our nation. On this day 13 years ago, my son was born. On this day in 1706, Benjamin Franklin was born. As I sit and ponder what it means for my son to turn 13 - that is the age we deem as the start of the teenage years, an age many societies have considered a rite of passage, as a boy turns into a young man - I'm wondering about the parallels between my son's life and that of Benjamin Franklin. 

I watched a PBS documentary on DVD about Benjamin Franklin a few weeks back - it left a lasting impression. What a life! More on that in a minute. Back to my son and his special day.

As he turns 13, my son is in the middle of the 7th grade, the middle grade of Middle School, what we used to call Junior High. His days are wrapped up in school, homework, karate classes, basketball practices and games, Boy Scout events ... kids are very busy these days, it's a full childhood, rich in opportunities, and as I realize today, it's over way too fast. In contrast, back in 1719, Benjamin Franklin celebrated his 13th birthday in his first year of apprenticeship to his brother, a printer. No school for boys his age, it was off to work and if you were lucky, to learn a trade as an apprentice. 

Benjamin Franklin did so much with the gift of life. Most notable for me was his awareness and curiosity. He seemed to accept no bounds and saw the world as exapansively as he could. He saw problems as opportunities to investigate, applying practical wisdom and hard work to overcome them. He was not bound by convention, leaving his apprenticeship at 17, taking a common law wife and moving his illegitimate son (of another woman) into the new household, striking out for England at a tender age of 20 on an entrepreneurial adventure...he demonstrated the values of good hard work and practicality, but also the value of breaking rules. He was a man for his time and we would all do well to emulate his values and way of living. 

I hope that my son will take inspiration from this brilliant man who shares a birthday with him. And I hope that we all can draw hope and seek wisdom for these troubled times from the man who even after he became famous around the world and was referred to as Dr. Franklin, continued to sign his name as "Benjamin Franklin, Printer."