Giving Thanks for Kevin - 36

This is an easy one to do though it took me a while to put it on paper (or at least the screen). I am very thankful that Kevin is all right.

When I look at pictures of Galveston and Houston, I get so scared thinking that I was that close to losing a wonderful friend. Kevin lives in Houston and weathered the storm coming out on the other side making better friends out of neighbors and experiencing the true meaning of community. Of course, this came with no electricity, no water and no knowing when or if life would ever be normal again.

I met Kevin years back and to him I am “Patti Louise”. His southern charm dripped from his thoughtful personality and I couldn’t help but fall in love. I have never met anyone who loves people so much and has such a big heart. Like me, he is an adopted part of Guy’s family, a brother-in-law to Guy and the man he holds most dear to his heart for taking care of his brother, Ned, when he passed. Kevin never flinched. His love for Ned was so enduring that he did what many of us probably couldn’t, be there until the end and beyond.

In fact when Guy was ill and in the hospital, I thought of Kevin often to let me be a good friend and caregiver to Guy. I channeled his presence and this allowed me to do all those gruesome hospital things that one must do for those they love.

I always joked that Kevin and I would eventually marry since he is the nicest man I know, even though he plays for the other team – minor in the real state of things. He enraptured me with his spirituality and strong belief in God, that even though we don’t agree on politics or religion, we respect one another enough not to care.

He was also the party monster when he’d come to visit as we strolled and perused the Suncoast Tea Dance, did shots at Georgies, ate bad food from Taco Bell and passed out only to get up the next morning and do it all over again. We’ve played cards into the night, talked and fell in love with life together.

I don’t get to see him much, and now think it may be a good time to think about visiting him, when the power comes back, but I do think of him often and pray for him now that he has faced yet another crisis. I can just imagine him though taking care of those broken by Mother Nature, his smiling face with a laugh to cure their ills and putting things into perspective. He is an angel, he just figured wings wouldn’t go with his outfit.

I love you Kevin.