¶ … Brother When I reflect on the gifts I have been given, one of the most treasured I have is the gift of having a younger brother. Jordan is 10 years younger than I am, and right now a senior in High School. He plays football and runs track, gets good grades, is a pleasant and helpful person, and is genuinely happy about life. He is not part of any negative clique, does not participate in illicit drugs or excessive drinking, and is always willing to smile and help another. Right now, he has not decided upon a career path, and certainly he might work a bit before making the decision regarding college. This is very typical of Jordan; he would rather be sure of an investment instead of the potential of inconveniencing anyone by jumping into a financial burden like student loans or college expenses.

I wonder, sometimes, in this...

Even as a small child, R was eager to smile, to laugh, and to share. He always seemed to have a knack for being able to reach into his soul and pull out optimism and trust. For instance, when Jordan volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club he was such a hit that the children kept asking the staff, "When will Jordan be back?" He would patiently help them with their homework, finding stories or other relevant anecdotes to help them understand difficult concepts in a way that was not only not threatening, but also fun. Jordan actually "played" with the children -- not just as a coach teaching them football or basketball, but engaging play in which it looked like he forgot he was older and just let himself go into the moment of…