Happy Birthday Charlie Brown!

60 years ago, Charles Schutz introduced Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang to the world.  Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Sally, Violet, Pig Pen, Schroeder, Peppermint Patty, and of course Snoopy and his pal Woodstock have become old friends to all of us and it wouldn't be Christmas without watching "A Charlie Brown Christmas". Its simplicity is timeless, and I can't wait until our granddaughter is old enough to understand the story. 

Of course, it wouldn't be fall without Lucy enticing Charlie Brown to kick the football while she holds it, "just like they do in the pros", and every year he falls for her innocent smile and promises to hold the ball steady, as Charlie runs to kick the ball, she yanks it away at the last minute. How many times have we all fallen for that "I promise this time it will be different" line?  -- Got kids? I think you get it.

So, happy birthday Charlie Brown, you've been a faithful old friend on the comics page of the local newspaper. I'm grateful for my dad who read the funnies to me when I was a kid, and made sure that I didn't miss the greater meaning of each strip. My favorite quote from Lucy was always, "of all the Charlie Browns in the world, you're the Charlie Brown-iest!  Happy Birthday old friend!