Dad Talking (#917)

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On Saturday, July 25, 2026, 11:32 Dad wrote:

Dani,

I truly hope you are feeling better soon.  Your mother and I were looking forward to hopefully getting everything taken care of for Sydney's Bat Mitzvah.

I do need to tell you, however, that you and we are running out of time.  Unfortunately for your mother and perhaps fortunately for you, her Canasta game was canceled for this coming Monday and at the moment she is not sure about whether there wll be Mah-jong on Friday.  So Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, possibly Friday, and Saturday of this next week she is available to help you.  If you do not come over and get things settled by next Saturday, however, I am going to have to cancel the reservation for your room at the hotel and your mother will no longer have time to help you the last two weeks.  There are too many things going on and I don't want her absolutely exhausted the weekend of the Bat Mitzvah.  Samantha is waiting to hear from us with regards to whether you have cleaned adequately and have appropriate attire to attend.  I will put her off until next Saturday, but after that I will have to tell her we will not be able to help you and the decision as to whether you can attend will be fully in her hands. 

This is perhaps one of the last big family events in your mother's and my lifetimes.  We are not likely to be here if and when Sydney gets married.  It may well be one of the last big, hopefully happy, events during your lifetime as well.  While you are still likely to be alive if and when Sydney gets married, if you do not attend this and/or have not radically changed by the time she does get married, you are unlikely to be invited to that event either.  Therefore, I would make every effort to do what is necessary to attend.  

I am not telling you what to do.  I am only giving some advice which you can take or leave.  The decision is yours.  But where your decision affects those around you, they have a right to make choices as well.  In other words, your decision has consequences and other people have the right to decide whether they are willing to live with or risk those consequences.  As I have said before, we love you; you just make it very hard to like you.  We are trying to put in the effort so that you will not regret the choice you made afterwards.  I didn't go to my senior prom because I was too afraid to ask anyone.  I regret it to this day.  But there is nothing I could ever do about it after the fact.  Don't make the mistake that I did.

We love you and hope you will get yourself over here by next Saturday.  If not, I  doubt your sister will let you come and your mother and I have to say we are in agreement with her.  Sadly, it will be your loss.

We do love you!

Dad