Things are very tough for me and my wife right now. Our house may be foreclosed. We don't have lots of money to rent. We have tons of "stuff" and no money to store it. We have four beloved cats we couldn't possibly get rid of. So I have "dark thoughts" almost every day.

Then, out of the blue, my brother Don called us yesterday. His own problems make ours look like toasted marshmallows. And yet, and yet, he faces them all and REFUSES to let them get him down. Without hiding from them. Without ignoring them. He wades right into them and beats them all, without drowning in them, without obsessing about them, without letting them ruin his life. He's like the Israelites crossing the Red Sea. Talking to him is like an instant injection of courage and cheerfulness. No, he doesn't take drugs, he doesn't drink, he's not manic. He's just THAT WAY.

And no, he won't walk away from you if you need him, not just his brothers, but anyone! He'll spend as much time as he can, in such a kindly way, infusing you with his spirit that there is NO DOUBT you will survive and CONQUER whatever is getting you down, whatever is terrifying you. AND HE DOES IT! He doesn't just try to do this! He succeeds! Time after time! And he's just a normal, average guy without any training as a P-doc or a T. Apparently, there really ARE people like that out there!

As you might expect, I love my brother, love him more than he can possibly know. And admire him. And am proud of him. I don't really deserve to be his brother. But if he's just one, there must be others out there. Keep an eye out, people like him won't think it's an imposition to ask for some attention and help, without pay, without looking down on you or thinking he's better than you.

My conversation with him yesterday happened at just the right time. I was seriously thinking of doing something bad to myself. Then we talked. And the Bad Things went out the window. Am I lucky to have such a brother or am i lucky to have such a brother?

Take care!