Longhorn in Paradise

I know this is sort of a tease, but it is the only picture I had quick access to and it is pretty freakin' cute. It is a month old, but the kids look basically the same today. You can actually see the exact same picture at my beautiful wife's new blog at hkkittyincalifornia.blogspot.com. Check it out!

I was thinking on the drive home today about what constitutes a really good friend. I guess, in reality, the ingredients of a good friend are probably different for each of us. But, I do think that there are some basic traits across the board that we can all agree on. Unfortunately, they seem to contrast each other....

First off, I think everyone would agree that the perfect friend be nice. Very basic...just be nice. Not mean.

Second, they should be giving. Not self-centered, but giving of themselves, their time, their beer. (or other valued things).

Third, they should be loving...different than just being nice, they should be capable of giving love to others and as importantly, to themselves.

Fourth, they should be "fun". Not necessarily funny, but fun to be around. If that means they are humorous or intellectually stimulating or clownish, that is fine if you consider it fun.

Now, I know this person is sounding like Ned Flanders and, really, who likes Ned Flanders. Which leads me to the fifth and final characteristic of a perfect friend...that they NOT be perfect. They need to have flaws...they need to rile you up....they need to do things that make you scratch your head...they need to do things that make you wonder why they are your friends. They need to make you temporarily lose sanity every once in a while. None of us is perfect, why would we want to hang out with someone who is??

Not everyone has such good friends that meet these strict criteria. I am lucky that I do. I have some of the best friends that a person could ever hope for. Some from childhood...some from college....some from my professional life....and many right in my own family.

I truly believe that one person that epitomizes all these traits is a guy that I have been talking a lot about lately...my brother Brian. For those of you that know him, go back and read each of the five traits and I would guess that he was one of the first people you thought about for each one. He is genuinely nice. He wouldn't hurt a flea and I don't think he has ever done anything in his life to intenionally hurt another....he is giving....man is he giving. Whenever Brian would get paid (and he always worked), he would come back with a bag full of my favorite candy or baseball cards. He would take me up to the store to play video games...he would also give a few dollars to those starving kids in Africa that you would always see in those commercials and wonder who adopted those kids...Brian did...Loving doesn't begin to describe Brian's capacity to care for others. I know that he loves all those he has crossed paths with and he is quick to give of this emotion when meeting new people as well...Fun? Brian is ALL about fun. He has told more jokes in his life than Jerry Seinfeld....most are really REALLY bad, but he alway seems to have some new ones. He is quick to laugh and always trying to make sure that everyone is having fun when in his presence. Lastly, Brian is certanly imperfect. He has made those decisions that make you say "what in the world??"...he has done some things that make you want to choke him...but, no matter what he does, you still have to love him.

He is Brian.

That's it...

He is Brian.

And for those of us who have known him so long...that means something. WE all love him very much...I just wanted to make sure that I introduced him to those of you who didn't know him...I figured if I am going to ask you to send your prayers or white light or whatever you believe in, I should give you some insight into the man.

He is Brian.

And we love him.

Much love to all of you...my good friends.

jak

# posted by longhorn in paradise @ 10:56 PM