Show of hands...

… who feels old? Anyone besides me? I had lunch today with a lovely young woman, Jen Paris, my Nephew Tom’s girlfriend.

Gawd, I remember the day he was born. That’s what you say to people you discover are quite suddenly grown up when you assumed they’d still be operating with training wheels. So I feel old when I look at Nephew Tom and see a young man serious about his future, heading to college, hell—talking and thinking like an adult. When did this happen? He has an older brother, Nephew Ted… Ted is old enough to be legal and recently shared a bottle of alcohol with me (which I still need to replace, I really haven’t forgotten, #1).

When did the two Nephews grow old enough to have girlfriends?

Jen and I made the date last week when she admired a bracelet I was wearing. It’s called a “Mel’s Bracelet,” a multi-colored bead bracelet sold in honor of a Mel Simmons, who died of breast cancer. She gave bracelets to her oncology nurses and other patients. After her death, her friends began a foundation in her honor and sell these beautiful bracelets t raise money for cancer research.

I’ve been wanting one for a while now, and the news I got on June 21 cemented the want into a need. I found mine last weekend at The Hitching Post in Reading (Massachusetts); I bought two and gave one to my mother. Jen saw mine and wanted one of her own. So we made a date.

We went back to The Hitching Post today. She bought four and I picked up two more.

I wouldn’t presume to ask you to buy one. The causes you support are your business. But should you be curious, check out www.melsbracelets.org. Shops that sell the bracelets turn over every penny of your purchase to Mel’s Foundation. To date The Hitching Post has sold nearly $90,000 in bracelets. Not too shabby for a little store in Reading. Not too shabby at all.