I have received love from friends and family from far away, but the capstone of my birthday, was the call from both my brothers. Voices across a broad expanse, the UK and California.
The thought that my brothers gave voice to when we were speaking on my birthday was, “My life in the end-zone.”
They reminded my of my truly blessed life, of all the near misses that have made up my existence. The time I almost died when I was born, the time I almost fell out of the car on the way to church, my whole teenage-hood. While they were talking my mind traveled to every “defensive tackle,” that my brothers knocked down for me over the years. Minor and major confrontations where they, “ran the screen,” so I could sneak by and land end the endzone unscathed. Running interferenece with parents when need and pushing to the coaches (Mom and Dad) when they had to.
It is true, my brothers have taught me how to run, juke, jive, spin and score. I owe them much. So now it's my turn and I look to a future of success. I know that every victory I have is a “block,” thrown, so my brothers can scoot by. That every triumph is a defensive end, “contained” so they can, “shoot the gap,” and score. Separated by geography only, there is no real separation between me and them, we truly are one team . A solid backfield in many ways. And they remind me that our team includes our friends and family. That our extended team is, "One for all and all for one."
James and Harold, I love you guys.
Signed, Raymond (the shorter, cuter one)
