Hereditary.

No matter how we might try to deny it, somewhere deep within our body are the genes that make us who we are. We might not like the color of our hair, the nose we are blessed with, or the personality that you like, love or hate---it’s what you can thank your parents for, and they can thank their parents, and so on.

What has always been somewhat amazing to me are twins--the identical variety. When I see a true match, it’s really hard to take my eyes off of them; I read online of a recent situation that happened at a regional hockey game. It turns out 2 brothers switched roles and one took a shot to win $50,000; he had to shoot the puck into a the hole a size of a slightly enlarged puck. We are talking millimeters on both sides so it was really hard to do. It sounds impossible from the distance shot, but he made it. It was on the web, national news, and I am sure many local papers around the region.

Problem was, the twin who was selected to take the shot, let his identical twin brother do it for him. I believe they were 10 or 11 and when the father found out about what had happened, and the switch that had taken place, he made them fess up and give the money back. His belief, this is a life-long lesson about being honest. That’s quite a Dad if you ask me---not sure I am that kind of Dad.

I never realized the power of genetics until I look at my brother and myself; for years, if not decades, I never saw the resemblance. Then when I got my driver’s license photo taken, I looked at it and my jaw dropped. It was my brother (or a good rendition) of him staring back at me. It was really eerie.

Now as I have moved on to fatherhood, I swore for years that I must have the weakest genes known to man---as all of the kids looked like their mom’s. Yes, they are carried within their bodies for 9 months and all, but I am talking (as I saw it) no resemblance to me at all. There were little signs, like a chin, eye shape or mannerisms, but it stopped right there. Then for our last daughter, the genes came through---and they came through strong. She has dark hair, a darker complexion, and hazel eyes---she has a wonderful personality too. (Okay, she got that from her Mom.)

As she got older, I look at her and think, and see how she looks just like my niece. No, my brother is not the Dad, but it is funny--- just when I thought I had finally supplied the genes that made her a true Rosenbaum, they are already being used in the body of a woman who is nearly 20 years older than she is The good news for my niece, besides recently becoming engaged, she is very pretty.  I guess the future looks bright for all of our kids---we are truly blessed with some very attractive daughters. (And one good looking son!)

The photo above was taken this past weekend; the young girl was recently in “Snap.Shot.” She and her Mom were in town as they live in Boston—her Dad had to stay behind and recently joined them after their being away for 4 weeks. For a 9-week old baby, that’s half a lifetime. (At least hers.) What I liked about this picture is how the genes came through---or as we Dads like to say, “I gave her my lungs.”

Thanks for stopping by.