He's the kind of guy you can call if:
You want to create something out of wood.
Your computer just crashed.
You need to philosophize.
Your Piano needs tuning or rebuilding.
You're dying to tell someone about THAT awkward moment you just had...and come away laughing about it.
You're looking for some new artwork for your wall.
You've got a hankering for some delicious Thai Food / home pressed apple juice / or any other delectable not-your-every-day-tidbit.
He's the kid that will unabashedly jump into a couch full of people just to snuggle.
Go for a hike at a moment's notice.
Was once prepared to defend his sis with a rock (funny story!).
And has been a true friend for as long as I've known him.
The week before Bryan left for New York, I had an emergency need to shop at H&M. Being the awesome brother that he is, he agreed to be my "wing man." He was short on time so we ended up leaving at 7:45 p.m. to shop at a store that closes at 9:00. For those that are not familiar with the distance from Provo to Salt Lake, that left us about 30 minutes to shop. No worries though, we both inherited the gene to shop fast.
But, it was the drive up there that was truly amazing. First, we had a good long chat about people, and the judgments we sometimes make. We talked about motivations for different behavior and the beautiful mess of interpersonal relationships. It was a good chat. The sunset was beautiful.
It was a nice way to end the summer.
And then, just as we were getting off the freeway, we shared a moment that reminded me of the true caliber of his soul. There was a homeless man standing on the side of the road. He did not look at us, he just held his shabby sign as he looked at the ground in defeat. At first, I wanted to pretend that he wasn't there, like I often do when I don't know how to help.
All the words I've heard about not giving money to the homeless "cause they'll turn around and buy drugs, or they might be a fake, or this excuse or that excuse" started rolling through my head like a playlist on repeat. Then a car full of guys (who frankly looked a bit rough themselves) honked and waved some cash out the window. That made me question if there was something I could do and should do.
I remembered I had a $1 bill in my wallet. I was a little embarrassed to hand over such a small token but, something urged me to do it anyway. I gave the bill to Bryan and asked him to motion to the man. Bryan rolled down his window and got the man's attention. As he came up to our car Bryan held out the money and this magic little moment happened, he held out his hand. He wanted to shake the homeless man's hand. Without a hint of condescension he said,
"Good luck to you, man."
"Good luck to you, too."
It was a rather short exchange, something rather simple. The man walked back to his post and as he turned around to face us, the true magnitude of the moment was evident. Tears were forming on the homeless man's cheeks. His eyes looked away in that familiar pattern that we all use when we don't want someone to know we're crying. It touched me so deeply, watching this grown-rugged-ragged man cry. I haven't been able to forget about it since. We didn't give much, but Bryan gave him his heart. He was able to connect with his humanity.
And how many of us just need that
once in a while?
I've thought about this a lot. It makes me want to give better. Not just give, but to give in a manner that reaches true needs. To stop judging whether someone deserves my help and just do what I can to lighten their load.
Thanks for the lesson, Bribbs, you've got great things ahead of you!
