Uncle Duty

My children are fascinated by my brother Dave. (Think Pied Piper.) Part of them would throw caution to the wind and follow him to the ends of this good, green earth, if that is where he was going. But the other part of them (perhaps the part I've given to them over the past eight years) holds back. There have been times I can practically hear the wheels in their head.

They want to take the longboard as fast as they can, but...

They want to ride the bike down the steep embankment, but...

They want to fly off the swing with reckless abandon, but...

This past Christmas in St. George, Steve, my brother and our pirates were lounging in the hot tub (located right next to the pool.) Steve and Dave jumped into the frigid, arctic, snow capped ice water and scampered back to the hot tub as quick as their frozen limbs could carry them. (Not fast enough.) I wasn't there yet... so I didn't see it first hand, but Steve said Erik jumped in only seconds later. As in CANNON BALL. I can only think his six year old mind figured it was as cold as it had been during the summer. (Everything is cold compared to a hot tub.) But when he came back up for air, he was a wiser, smarter child. And now knew the meaning of cold.

When I got to the hot tub, Steve regaled me with the story... and I was shocked. Part of me was proud of him, because part of me loves throwing caution to the wind. (Which is where I will add that the water WAS painfully freezing.) The other part of me didn't want to think of my darling, baby boy in that freezing water.

The moral of the story? My brother is a force for good. Because he challenges my pirates just enough, but then when they're hesitant - he comes back for them. He holds their hand on the longboard until they're comfortable. And then helps them pick up speed... He's always been good at what he does. And my pirates love him for it.

Last month he threw caution to the wind, moved to Boston, and made an app! We miss him terribly. But, as of yesterday we downloaded his app in the app store! It's practical, and extremely helpful for all sorts of things...( here's the link. )

And I can say I knew him before he was famous.