Tribute to my Brother

December 1, 2016

39 years ago today this soul came to earth. He spent 12,952 days among us, teaching lessons to those fortunate enough to have crossed his path.
His life here was not one for himself, his struggles too great to comprehend; the only justification can be that it was charted purposefully to help and teach others. 
My grief over his death will span the rest of my lifetime. 
Forever my baby brother, I will continue to honor him and his life among us.

Today, I thank him for teaching me . . . 
How to love greater
How to be more empathetic to those that are struggling
How to see beyond a shroud of addiction and mental illness and simply see a soul in need of love and help
How to be more patient and kind
How to be less judgmental
How to work on letting go of grudges or harboring anger
How to not care so much about what others may think of me
How to release my fears
How to not waste precious time in a job that’s hated or around people that drain me
And how to better appreciate every moment I have with my loved ones.

In honor of my late brother Nathan’s birthday today, it is my sincere wish that you might extend kindness to someone in need, even if it’s just a silent blessing from your heart to theirs. 
We are all just souls struggling through our lives here on earth. Political views, income, religion, race, gender, sexual orientation . . . these things are superficial. They are not real. We are all the same. It’s time to extend more love and kindness.