Lessons in love

My marvellous brother. How do I accurately describe this man?

A thinker, a father, a man of integrity, humour and love. Generous, without agenda nor expectation. Quick to laugh, amicable, reasonable. He is capable and responsible, with a sharp and inquisitive mind.

How lucky we all have been to be blessed with such a sibling.

How lucky his girls are to have been blessed with him as their guide.

I know that there are many adventures coming for him, and I know he will embrace them with the same zeal and open-minded wonder as he does his ordinary daily life.

I hope he has a ball!

So, some background to this.

Until recently, he was settled in a 15 year relationship. Suddenly, he finds he isn't. No need for the gory details, but his wife just needed to go mad for a bit I guess. Nobody else involved either way, just the way it apparently was.

Anyway, he has the daughters, one is nearly 16, the other nearly 12.
Now I guess I should make a passing mention that the eldest of these two neices is not biologically his, but since he has been her dad from 6 weeks old, it barely registers until any of us think about it. He took her on as his own, she has his name. She is his. She is ours.

The way in which he has handled what was a very shocking, sad and difficult set of circumstances, has been nothing short of astounding.

Dignity, respect for himself and his soon-to-be ex-wife, and a determined effort to see this as perhaps a new lease of life, is bearing fruit now.

He was so very sad when the decision was taken for her to move out, after counselling and long talks into the night, but held on to routine and hope until something took it's place.

He took up Tai Che, joined in some chat rooms, got out and about, spent time with his girls, and generally threw himself into the new and exhausting role of being lone parent and lone male.

The upshot of all this slow and steady rebuilding, has been that he is now very pleased with the way he's feeling and is on a journey of self discovery, and what he sees as improvement.
He has even got a brace fitted and intends to have his bloody ears pinned back! Why not is what I say. He has the money and the inclination.

He has recently made contact with his first love, and things have taken a very exciting turn. I can see that they are going to have rather a nice time!

He is of a mind to have fun, with a view to finding the passions that were, now very obviously, missing from his home life.

He is meeting the lovely girl in question next weekend, after a brief and platonic first meeting last week.

From the smile on his face, I'd say the next meeting will be somewhat more racy than that.

Game on!