JUST came across this quote somewhere on the internet, and it reminds me a lot of my brother Jude, who celebrates his birthday this Friday. It’s not so much the literal application of the saying, although I’m sure he’s done those things mentioned, but the fact that he savors to the max all the simple joys that life offers, and celebrates unapologetically every moment of life as if it were his last.
And because of the uncomplicated nature of my brother, how could I expect our relationship to be anything but? We have none of the brother-brother / brother-sister angst that defines many sibling relationships, often marked by awkwardness and unexpressed emotions of a lifetime. I love him a lot, and I expect ( hopefully ) that he does likewise.
It helps that we share a little more than a passing interest in sports, TV and cinema, but it’s nice that we can talk about almost anything under the sun with little self-consciousness or inhibition, TMI alerts notwithstanding.
If I had to describe him using an everyday product of modern living without which life would be pretty much pointless, he would probably agree on my choice : Regular Coke. None of the pompous tastelessness of Diet Coke, the half-strength of Coke Zero, or the artful cluelessness of Cherry Coke. Just pure original full-strength pleasure that you expect on the business end of a soda can, that’s Jude.
His shutter eye and trigger finger are unmatched as a fotojourno gunslinger, and he will probably crown his career with a couple of coffee-table folios that, through killer pics and slambang text will relive history before your very eyes.
I’m most grateful for the bonding that we do through memories and e-mails, his uncompromising presence in Ganda”s and Bunso’s lives back home, and his just being there for Mom and Dad.
Happy birthday bro, you are one in a million. I love you always !
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hahaha, no worries bro, you deserve it 🙂 am flattered by your praise, but I’m sure you will receive much better gifts, I just wish I could be back home to spend your happy day with you. Yes, will wait for your Horace Grant post, glad to know you met JB, he was my editor in Phil. Collegian. No shame in admitting you’re a Coke addict, we’re probably a billion strong 🙂 Coffee is overrated, happy birthday again 😉
And i bumped into your college friend JB Baylon the Exec of where else Coca Cola bottlers Phil? He was one of the big wigs who attended the Horace Grant 3 on3 NBA event i covered here. i was able to interview and shoot Horace Grant, wait for that post on my blog.
I’m a little bit ashamed to admit that i AM a Coca Cola stubbornly ‘regular’ ADDICT. it’s so adolescent, i HATE coffee which normal grown up people are supposed to drink. There we go again w our public discussions.
Bro I managed to be the first to ‘like’ this post. it’s the best birthday gift I’ve ever had. Thank you for the kind words.i got so many greetings on facebook because of your post! So many people are reading your blog. i want to be there more for Brent and Nicole. Thank you again.