Today's review is not of a movie, nor of a TV show, but of a man. My brother, my friend and a great man, Jon Coutts.
Jon is 32 today, an age that sounded old to me not long ago but which seems young now that I approach 30 myself. I have little opportunity in my life to pay tribute to Jon and while a blog entry can hardly do a person justice I will honour him here.
Jon and I have not always gotten along, as with most brothers we went through a competitive and sometimes violent stage as young teenagers. As we got older though and started to grow up we realized we had become friends somewhere along the way. I say "started to grow up" because I know I have much more ground to make up in that category. In my later high school years I began to count Jon as one of my best friends, so much so that we shared many of the same friends and still do to this day.
Eventually I had the privilege of going to College with Jon and in later years we stood for each other on our wedding days, each as the best man for the other.
Jon is honest, kind, gentle in disagreement but principled in his opinions, he is intelligent but not prideful and he excels at teaching others. I am testament to that teaching as I owe much of who I am to the positive influence and gentle challenging Jon gave me throughout my life.
Jon is a great brother, a great husband to his wife and a great father to his two boys, he is also a great friend.
Happy Birthday Jon. Here's to many more years.
Check out his blog on Christian spirituality and theology: http://www.thissideofsunday.blogspot.com/
2 comments:
i'm a tad weepy here. a review i'll both hold onto and endeavor to live up to. thanks little brother, whom i've always looked up to.
That review made me "a tad weepy" also. It's all true, Jon. You have always been and are now a great son. I have always been very proud of you at every stage of your life. I love you. Happy Birthday. Love, Mom
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