My Brother

I have 4 brothers: Greg, Brian, Michael and Scott. Greg, who is pictured here and my only older sibling, just celebrated his 50th birthday. It's funny how relationships change as we grow up; some brothers and sisters grow closer and others grow away, either geographically or personally, or both. I wouldn't say that Greg and I are close, as that implies a communication and sharing that we don't have. It would be true to say, however, that my appreciation of and respect for Greg has grown immeasurably over the past 45 years or so. When we were children at home (so long ago), we were primarily pains in each other's side. I think it would be fair to say that while I fit well into my family's expectations and excelled at school, my brother, through no fault of his own, was a square peg trying to be shoved into a round hole. It didn't work very well, leaving Greg frequently ostracized and angry, with goody two shoes me completing the "good child/bad child" scenerio.
Thankfully, after extricating himself from boundaries that didn't fit, Greg discovered the talents that had probably been there all along. He has, over the years, made beautiful furniture, made and sold reptile cages, and always, always either owned or bred and raised snakes, or both. For the last decade or so, Greg has become known internationally as a breeder of Green Tree Pythons. As snakes go (sorry, my own issues) they are beautiful emerald green, turquoise, or yellow creatures. Greg is now the author of 2 books on the care of these animals and has traveled internationally to speak about them. He is a good husband and father, and now, a grandfather.
I am proud of him for all he is and all the talents he possesses. Happy Birthday, brother, and many more.