30 Days Of Thanks: Arik (Brother)

Dear Arik,

            Did you know that I didn’t eat chicken for years because of you? Or that I had an early penchant for Asian girls because of you? We all know that you picked out my name and I thank God that you weren’t a fan of a comic book hero like Plastic Man. I might have ended up with a name like Trojan, or something. I had never really thought about it too much, but a level of idolization is inevitable when you are seven years older than me.
          More than anybody, you have pushed me to change. “Why are you fat? Do something about it. Work out. Do some pushups. Go on a run. Don’t just complain about it; do something.” You are a man of action and I respect that. To this day, I can’t believe that you up and moved to New Orleans when you didn’t know anybody there and you had never actually been there before in you life.

             Thank you for asking me to go to Europe with you. It is the standard in which all vacations will be set against henceforth, including my honeymoon. I think that it is a bit weird when I think that I am now about the same age that you were when we left. Yet, I feel as if I am still far away from a mid-life crisis. What was wrong with you? I think that trip was a defining moment in both of our lives. I guess that removing yourself from your normal life for an extended period of time helps you reflect on what works and what doesn’t. From that point on, I was much more focused on my studies.

            I think that you are the smartest person that I know. You grasp concepts, theories and languages with ease. But unlike me, when you become fascinated with something, it becomes an all-encompassing passion. I admire this about you and all things food. My interests are broader and stretched more thinly. That’s what makes the blog as such a good outlet for me.

            Thank you for being candid and honest. I value your input for anything that I do, but I still find a few things confusing about you. How is it that you’ve become such a missionary for Texas, while maintaining a love for Iowa? Why where you a vegetarian for so long but now have a pig tattooed on your arm? Why did you always jump on our beds early, trying to wake us up early in Europe when we had already agreed on times? How do you fall asleep so quickly and at random places? Do you worry about it happening in the car?

            Thank you for buying me my first Black and Tan, although I didn’t like it. Then, thanks for letting me be your best man. And thanks for letting my family stay with yours yearly.

Love,

Adam