Adam

“Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same.”

You know how you have those people in your life who have truly made an impact on you, the way you think, the way you look at life? Sometimes it's a teacher, a coach, a parent, sometimes it's a famous person who you never actually meet, but feel a strong connection to just the same. Sometimes it's a religious icon. For me, it's my best friend.

No, not my brother. This is my other boy. My Adam.

I met Adam in elementary school. We went to a rural, country school where we were all bussed. No walking the streets, no going home for lunch...no real much of anything. Adam moved to the area around grade 5 or 6. He became everyone's friend, and had his share of girlfriends in our little school. Never me though. At grade 8 graduation we won the "best all around male and female" awards. We moved on to the same highschool together and remained friends over the next 5 years. We both had our share of boy/girlfriends. Never eachother. He campaigned for, and won, the student council presidency in our final year. I introduced him during his "campaign speech". It was at this point in life that I began to see that this boy was destined for greatness. We travelled as part of a group to Cuba on our final spring break and, being one of only 4 girls in our group of 14, he looked after me like a brother would.
We attended the same University and our friendship continued. Here is where he began to shine. He became involved in everything, he knew everyone, everyone loved him. He had huge dreams and no one doubted his ability to reach them.
Here we are, 5 years out of school. I am married to my highschool sweetheart, with children, and live about 40 mins from where we grew up. I have a good job in my chosen field, and am happy with my life.
Adam is now in middle management at a major Ontario University, dating a wonderful girl, continuing to chase, follow and realize his dreams. Everyone knows him, everyone loves him, and everyone knows he's special.
Except him.
This is the most down to earth, most humble guy I know. He's still that same kid that he was in grade 5, grade 9, first year of University. His passions are homelessness, poverty, and other social injustices. His blog is dedicated to these issues, while I sit here rambling on about...whatever.
He was the emcee at my wedding and while I was having a dance with him, he told me how wonderful everything was, how envious of me he was, how I had everything he wanted.
I had everything HE wanted.
He was afraid to hold my daughter as a baby, afraid he'd break her, and he never did hold her. Every single time he visits or we visit him, he has a gift for her. Every single time. He begged me to name her after him...I think he was only half joking.
We have been friends almost forever and know so much about eachother. He regales me with stories of travle, of international conferences, of huge events he is in charge of, of life living with his girlfriend, new homeownership...and I bore him with tales of being a wife, and a mother. But he loves to hear about it. He truly does. He was the very first person, besides Jeff, that I told I was pregnant again. He didn't get at at first. I can, and have, told this guy absolutely anything and everything over the years, and he listens, to all of it. He knows me.
When Adam gets married (and he will), it will need to be on a football field, to accomodate all the guests. And the guy likely knows someone who can make that happen for him.
His heart is pure, his friendship is genuine, and he doesn't put on airs at all. Someday you'll all know his name, and I will say that I knew that guy once. But the thing is, he'll never forget his friends. No matter how important he is, or he gets, he's still that new kid on the playground, still that shit disturber who likes to get my husband in trouble with me for drinking too much, still that guy who would rather hang out with my three year old than do many other things. How does he stay so grounded? How does he not know how special he is?
This is my best friend. And has been for over 10 years.
This is my Adam.