He is friendly and personable and really cares to get to know people. Once he visited me at school and he remembered the name of just about every person he met while there.

He is talented and would probably sing you a song if you asked. He’s a great, successful performer and is always seeking to be even better at his profession.

He is funny and fun-loving and pretty silly, and time spent with him can end up in fits of hilarity.

So, based on these things, he could be anybody’s favorite person, but here’s why he is mine…

For almost all my life, he’s been incredibly kind and inclusive of me as his little sister. He loves generously and forgives quickly. Not everyone is blessed with a brother like this. He’s exceptionally open-minded and willing to entertain lots of ideas. We couldn’t be on more divergent career-paths, but he’s supportive of and interested in what I’m learning and doing. We share many common interests – music, art, travel, reading, adventure, and eating. He loves to eat, perhaps more than me. We can talk for hours at a time about everything and nothing.

Right now, my brother Patrick is in Japan. It’s his birthday. And because he’s way over there, I decided to write him this birthday ode. Happy happy birthday, to my favorite person! I love you!