There haven't been many times in my life where I've been as excited to key in words than for this write up right here, right now. With this post I get to express gratitude, admiration and respect for quite possibly my greatest friend God has blessed me with on this Earth outside of my wife.
Let me start from the beginning. The place was Middlebury, IN...the public library to be exact and it would have been sometime in the summer of 1991 or 1992 as I can't remember the exact age I was. We would meet in a summer workshop type thing where all I can remember is getting snacks and being read to by a sweet lady from the library. He and I hit it off quickly from what my mom tells me and instantly became good friends.
I guess in the coming years we would be bookends to each other and truly were together as much as we possibly could be. He shared the little league fields with me, summer swimming lessons and many an imaginary "battles" out in our yards during our elementary days.
As we progressed through our grade levels our friendship continued to grow to what some would consider brotherhood not just friendship. I knew he had my back and he knew I had his above all else. If it wasn't for him I probably would never had made it through the heartaches of dating, engagement breaking up and the dilemmas I faced in high school and college which at the time I felt were insurmountable.
He was there a few years back when I said "I do" to my lovely Lisa and is someone I go to when I feel I'm failing at being the man and husband God has called me to be. He never understands why I go to him, but if you knew him you'd understand. He's the type of guy you can't help but admire for his amazing relationship with God and how everything surrounds that. An example would be what he told me when he met his now wife April and how he knew that she was the one, "She loves God more than me Ty." That was always what he stated he was looking for in a future spouse to share this life with.
This man has since been blessed with two gorgeous daughters, and I'd be understating it if I said he is an amazing dad. He's the kind of dad which movies are made about. I can only pray that someday I am able to be the father he is to my future children.
That shouldn't be too hard though and actually I know I will be better...because you see my friend really isn't a father. As a matter of fact he's not even married. While we're at it I guess I should share that he was not able to make it to my wedding, and to be honest he didn't even send a card. He never was there for me in high school...and I have no idea if he even grew up in Middlebury.
Actually I do know he didn't, because the man I've shared about was actually ABORTED. He sadly never got a chance to meet me, be there for me. He never grew to be a brother to me, a father to his daughters and a loving husband to his wife. He never got a chance...and the sad truth is he never will. I don't know the circumstances of his abortion, but how I wish his mother would have considered giving him a chance.
So I apologize for wasting your time, sometimes I forget my friend actually doesn't exist. I'll be honest though, despite his non-existence he has taught me the importance of life and how it should be protected.
I pray I never forget the friend I didn't have.
1 comment:
This was incredibly well-written. Good job, baby.
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