February 2008
Jonah’s 18th birthday @ Cheesecake Factory

Dear Jonah,

You had four years on Aiden. With that great an age difference you might think that growing up, the two of you would have had little in common. But you lived life on your own schedule. So at the same time you viewed Aiden as your bratty little brother, you also found in him a perfect friend and playmate. Across the years, the two of you loved playing together. Whether it was crossing Jedi light sabers, constructing elaborate Lego universes, or guiding the fantastic adventures of some of the hundreds of 4-inch high action figures you owned between you, the two of you boisterously filled countless hours of your shared lives. But more often than not, these hours of fun would typically end when you would get angry, destroy the universe you’d built together, and then turn your focus on making life for Aiden as miserable as possible.

In the last years of your life, as you came to appreciate more and more just how special and wonderful a human being you were becoming, you (mostly) ceased battling your little brother. More often than not, 19-year old and 14-year were likely to greet one another with … Jonah: “Dreskin.” Aiden: “Larger Dreskin.” And with that, mom and I were able to sit back and enjoy the still-boisterous but consistently caring play between two brothers.

Oh, the occasional crossing of Jedi light sabers was still part of the equation.

Love you forever,
Dad