The Eclipse was amazing.
It made me miss my dad and feel closer than ever to him at the same time. But I wasn't really sad.
I bought a lil chocolate cupcake to celebrate his birthday and sat on the grass of some pretty private property and watched the sun disappear behind the moon through the glass of a welding mask.
My dad used to be a welder. I wouldn't have watched it any other way.
I loved more than I can say that he Eclipse happened on the morning of his birthday.
I'm lucky enough that I've been alive for two Solar Eclipses now and the first one is one of my most vivid memories of him; standing in the garden next to him and my mother and my baby sister peering through the welding mask that felt so huge on my childlike head.
It's been over two year now since he died and it still feels strange sometimes. I don't think I'll ever get totally used to it, but I cling to moments like this that bring me happy nostalgia.
I love you dad. Happy birthday.