A Very Special Birthday

Bobby sat on a rocky ledge overlooking the river that migrates over his parents domain. He was contemplating nature’s glorious design in these woods. He was only seven, but it seems that these woods change every trip he takes back here. His dog Ralphie always seems to find new territory to explore and new “toys” to play with.

Today, Bobby and Ralphie decided they wanted to stay here forever because it was peaceful. Bobby always enjoyed listening to the sounds of the frogs, birds, insects, and even the river. To him they sound like a choir praising their creator. The quietness also allowed him to deeply think about life and its meaning. At least as deep as his little young mind will go. Today’s mental assignment was the topic of rewards. More specifically, rewards granted for following your heart. For such a young mind, he delved into the most complicated and deepest subject he could allow his mind wander through.

Bobby’s parents were third generation Irish immigrants, hard workers, honest, dedicated to each other, their only son, and their new homeland. They were a proud people who loved God, and the rewards He bestows upon them for keeping His commandments. Ian, Bobby’s father, was a handyman who took pride in his work, and considered anything over and above an agreed upon price, was a reward from above. He taught Bobby there is a consequence in life for everything that they do. If they do well, their lives could be enriched beyond their fondest dream. If they provide a negative testimony to their life and work, well, they have to work unnecessarily harder to overcome the loss they will be facing. Today, on this bright, cool spring afternoon, sitting on his favorite spot overlooking the river, he was facing just this challenge.

Yesterday, Ralphie came up to Bobby with an old knapsack that he dug up by the river. He played with it, tossing it around like it was his favorite furry toy back at the house. Somehow the knapsack got entangled and twisted in his collar and he couldn’t get it free. Try as he might, he rolled around the ground, rubbed against some trees, but it just wouldn’t let go. Finally, Bobby saw the poor creature struggling with it, and called Ralphie to him. “What are you doing boy? What have you got with you?” Bobby worked to get the knapsack off the dog’s neck and right leg. It took a while, but at last, he succeeded in releasing the bag.

This is the challenge Bobby was facing. There were no identifying marks, initials, or brand on the bag. Being curious, he looked inside the knapsack to see what “treasures” it held, since it looked to be a hundred years old to his young eyes and mind. He wanted to keep it and play with it, like most boys his age would do. It was a treasure he found, and it was his. Finders keepers was his thought. Actually, technically, it was Ralphie’s and it was his toy. At least that is what Ralphie’s mind would think, if he can think like a human. “Maybe it really belongs to somebody, maybe they are looking for it,” Bobby was reasoning. As Bobby was mulling over his find, dad’s teaching about doing the right thing and rewards kicked in. Ian always taught his son that rewards were not always financial, but are masked in various forms of positivity. “God matches the reward to match our needs,” he would always teach. Curious about that line of thinking, Bobby decided to take it home to present to his parents

Ian arrived home after work and greeted Carol, his wife and mother of his son, with a hug and a kiss. “How was your day dear?” Ian asked. “Good”, replied Carol, “I got the house cleaned, relaxed with a good book, and started dinner.How was yours?”. “Mmmm you had a full day. What is for dinner?” Ian inquired. “Well,” answered Carol, “since it is your birthday, I have your favorite roast beef in the oven, with roasted corn, a baked potato. And for dessert, your favorite chocolate cake!” Carol clapped her hands together for emphasis.

“Birthday? I forgot dad’s birthday!” Bobby thought dejectedly. He usually tries to make something for his dad’s birthday, but today he had nothing. “Maybe” this knapsack would do”, he pondered. After all it looked like it contained tools his dad could somehow use. His dad did like old stuff, and the knapsack looked really, really old. “Maybe....yes, that’s what I’ll do!” Bobby patted Ralphie”s head and gave him a great big hug. “Thank you Ralphie for saving my day!” With that Bobby ran off to hunt down a box and wrapping paper, with a big smile all over his freckled face. Ian and Carol looked at each other and chuckled. “Kids these days,” they blurted, and they chuckled again as they realized they sounded like a stereo with the same thought.

After dinner and the scrumptious chocolate cake, Ian opened his birthday gifts. He opened Carol’s first and his eyes feasted on the finest silk shirt he had ever seen. “Where did you get this?” he asked as he examined every inch of it. “How could we afford something so fine, where did you get this?” Ian wanted a shirt he could wear to church and dinners out without looking so casual. With all the pride she could muster in her small frame, she excitedly remarked, “I made it. I used the material from my wedding dress, or at least a part of it. I know I will never use it again, and I thought why not get some use from it.?” Ian was flabbergasted that she would sacrifice her dress for him. He knew she was a seamstress, but this was professional quality. Tears welled up in his eyes as he gave her the biggest hug and kiss. “Thank you sweetheart, I always wanted a shirt like this.”

“My turn daddy!” Bobby exclaims. “Yes it is!” Then Bobby apologetically informs his dad that he forgot it was his birthday, and didn’t have any money to buy him a present. “But Ralphie helped me get this for you. Actually, Ralphie found it and was playing with it when I got it off him. I hope you like it. I didn’t have time to clean all the dirt and slobber off of it.” Ian started to wonder in the back of his mind if he should open it. Carol was looking a little apprehensive herself. “I am sure I will like it, son”, his father assures him, trying to make him feel better while at the same trying to muster enough courage to open it. Ian’s mind kept racing all the scenarios in his mind of what to expect. A dead rabbit? Or a dead cat, maybe. Or maybe is what is more benign like a wild animal bone. Could it be alive like a frog, or worse a snake. He didn't see any holes in the package so maybe at least it was dead.

Finally he summoned enough courage to open it. He tipped the lid to peer inside. “Well”, he thought, it doesn't seem to be dead or alive”. As he lifted the lid he saw it was a knapsack, but something about it caught his eye. Even though Bobby could not see any identifying marks, Ian could. There on the lip of the knapsack was a faded family crest. His family crest. And the name of his great, great, grandfather also could barely be seen underneath the crest. He carefully opened the knapsack, realizing that even though it looked to be in pristine shape for its age, it could crack and break with use.

“Where did you get this?” Ian asked his son. “Am I in trouble daddy”, Bobby’s eyes opened wide in fear. “No son, not even close” his dad said. “This is one of the most wonderful presents I could get, equal to your mother’s gift. Where did you get this?” “Ralphie found it back in the woods, and he was playing with it until he somehow got tangled in it. I looked at the neat stuff inside and thought I would keep it back to play like it was a treasure. Then I remembered what you said about doing your best and doing the right thing and rewards and all. I decided to give to you”, Bobby explained.

Just as Bobby finished recounting his day, his dad found a slight bulge in a compartment of the knapsack. He reached in and took out a medium size, black, notebook. Inside he notice all kinds of papers and what look like to be bank papers. “Honey, what day is tomorrow?” he asked his wife. “Saturday”, she replied. “Good, I won’t have to take a day off work. I’ll be going to the bank tomorrow”. “What is all this stuff daddy?” Bobby inquired.

Ian looked at all contents of the knapsack. “Well, Bobby, your great, great, great, grand bought all this land here, about sixty acres. He sold about forty acres in his older years. When he settled here worked as a master wood carver. These are some of his tools. That black note book looks to have some important papers. This a valuable find. This is a history of your family after they moved here from Ireland. My guess is he lost it coming back from the nearest town. Tomorrow I will see what all these papers are.

Saturday morning Ian got up early and went into town to shop and visit the bank with the newly found knapsack and its contents. After about forty minutes he was on his way home, feeling like a whole new person. Walking into the house whistling an old Irish tune he hollers, “I’m home!”. Carol greets him in the kitchen and sees that he wore his birthday shirt. It looked handsome on him. She playfully runs her fingers playfully over the fabric, “a fine job done, if I do say so myself,” she smiling said. “Yes, and plenty of compliments to go with it”, Ian replies.” “Bobby!” Bobby comes rushing into the kitchen,” Yes dad?” “I have an announcement for you and your mother!”

“I want you to know that yesterday was the best and most blessed birthday I have ever had. With this shirt your mother made, it was as if I was wearing a royal piece of clothing. A testament to your mother’s fine skills.” With that he gave her the biggest kiss and hug. “And you young man gave the best gift you could for your young age. This knapsack was indeed your great, great, great grandfather’s, and within it he carried his tools and important papers. Evidently, the bank notes we found were payment for selling off the forty acres. I deposited all of that into a savings account which amounted to over a million dollars after inflation. And there is an extra twenty thousand dollars I put into a college fund for you. God has blessed not only me on my birthday, He blessed us all.” And with that, he gave Bobby the biggest hug he had ever received. “Thank you, you two, for a very special birthday”.

That night Bobby went to bed. And before he hopped in, he thanked God for all He did for them yesterday. Ralphie jumped in the bed with him. Bobby hugged him and thanked him for finding the knapsack for him, and declared, “there are rewards for good deeds!” Then he drifted off to a deep sleep.