[in keeping with family preferences, we haven’t identified bro by name, but sheesh, his pic with family’s above. Apologies for not asking first, you wouldn’t have consented, thanks and photo credit to Sis, thanks all for reading! ]
WE CAN OFFER you no more than a slice, a snapshot, just the briefest of eye-blinks really, of our brother on the eve of his birthday.
He is a zip drive of incongruity. He is kind and mean, analytic and spontaneous, super empathetic and super standoffish, ever engaging but also an island to himself, a world-class jokester, but also an organized, penetrating thinker, sometimes shares his thoughts generously but also holds cards close that no one will ever see.
Through my perfect-yet-imperfect relationship with hermano it’s myself I learn about (despite it being his birthday): I’m more than a bit sensitive to words and phrases, particularly when it comes from people you love.
And because he means well, he will often give it to me straight when I’m effing up. He has the pleasure of being a straight shooter when it comes to me, his brother who makes mistakes more often than not . I’m usually hurt, but in the end I realize he tells me as he sees it, and at the end of the day, sino pa ba ang po-point out ng mga mali mo kundi ang kapatid mo?
But enough about me. You will get tired of people who know him saying that my brother is a zany, nothing-sacred politically-incorrect friend-to-all who is good in what he does (HR, marketing and other related business stuff), generous to a fault (I’ve once seen him take off his fairly new shoes and give it to an acquaintance who obviously needed it more) and eternally in love with sports.
The truth is, he’s all of that. BUT, he’s also intensely in love with his wife, maniacally supportive of his daughters, very close to the rest of his family, a reliable and incredibly loyal friend, and forever loyal to the De La Salle Green Archers and his high school mates in St Peter the Apostle School (Manila).
Have I left out anything?
Oh yes. He is the most awesome brother ever.
Love to you from me and everyone else, on the eve of your birthday. And always.
