'Parents are just people who

can often manage to mess things up. But children don't come with a user's manual either'

That quote comes from a very old friend of mine, and landed in my in-box last evening.

We lost sight of one another decades ago. And only recently began conversing again, which was very nice.

He felt constricted, as I did, but took a lot longer to get out of my home town. And came to Europe, so there are parallels there.

He's a gifted photographer and singer, and once away, promptly sired five children at an age when the young and the reckless usually become grandparents.

But those two sentences reminded me of how special he is. Succinct, to the point, and it rings true. It delighted me, to tell the truth....

And on that note... demand a user's manual for every child, unless you are wise....