Baby brother, the world is a little quieter now without your voice, a little darker without your light, and much lonelier without you around. I miss our conversations. about God, the apple heads, the family, and everything in between.

You taught me that love can have no limitations or conditions. Love must be an action word or it rings hollow in the ear of the receiver. Love must be complete or the fragments will remain forever scattered. Love is not refundable or taken back because we disagree. Your expressions of love were priceless from kitchen karaoke, getting on the grill, sledding with the kids, playing with your boys and protecting your girls; counseling a niece, correcting a nephew, picking on a sister, showing up for graduations, to instantly falling in love with a new grand baby. You ARE love. You SHOWED love. You GAVE love. YOU ARE LOVED unconditionally and eternally. Even when you had to love from a distance, longing to be accepted, you still showed up for people.  You pushed through. Making it somehow. You did the work to set you free from guilt and regret. You checked in on everybody even when they didn't show up for you.  As you rest among the ancestors, I am comforted in knowing that you are dancing and singing with the angels.

Until I see you again, I will listen for your voice in the wind, look for you in the sky and wait for you in my dreams. I will hold you close to me forever. I’ll never forget that you loved me “so so much.”