365 Degrees of Something: Day 98- June 26- Paul (or Pablo as I like to call him)

My brother, Paul, is a year and a half behind me. I like to say it that way since he's the middle child and the only thing an eldest child can always brag about is being older and "more advanced" than our younger siblings. I love Paul, even though he sometimes annoys me with how particular and serious he takes things. Those qualities are what makes me love him too. He is probably the best suited person for the career he has chosen and that shows an incredible sense of self awareness that I have admired for a long time. He knows his strengths and he understands his limitations so well that he depends on that knowledge in all of his decision making.

I will never forget his first year of university. He has always been known for his shyness, teacher's always commented on it every year in school, often contrasting my own more forward, outgoing, loud nature to his. Everyone worried a little bit as he left home for the first time to live on his own. The saving grace was that two of his closest friends were headed off to the same school. Dad drove us to school, which meant dropping me off in Ottawa before heading back through New Brunswick to drop Paul at St. Thomas in Fredericton. Dad and Paul stayed only one night in Ottawa when I was getting myself situated in my dorm. Dad knew I was fine with the whole being far away from home thing after a year in Germany right after high school and then a year of university in Ottawa. I heard that after they drove away from Ottawa, which is a remarkably quiet, quaint feeling city, Paul insisted he would NEVER want to live in a place so big and busy. I still chuckle about that to this day. Fredericton was his speed, it was his size, it wasn't daunting but felt right for him. Since he had assessed it and felt comfortable with it, he was able to stick to his decision to study there and complete his 4 year Criminology and Economics degree, even when one of his friends left the school to go home.

Paul also surprises us at times. I think our whole family was surprised when he became the first of all the cousins to get engaged and married. Then he became the first to have children. He shook everyone's judgements of him as a painfully shy guy. He is a thinker, an observer and has a very keen memory for details. He is particular and knows what he wants. He sometimes over thinks things and gets a bit stuck in the "glass half empty" frame of thought, but having realized that side of himself, he made a great decision on a spouse, Jessica, who is understanding patient and can often pull him back to the bright side again. They are a beautiful couple and have a gorgeous little family together! I am happy to have them all in my life!

Watching a turtle on the rocks while canoeing.