I am deeply honored to be standing in this spot, in this moment in time.  The path I’ve walked enabled me to be who I am, and I give gratitude for all my lessons and experiences, because I learned something from each one of them.  As I became more mindful, evidence began to mount that I was being prepared for something, but I wasn’t sure what it was.



I was led to my friend in an unconventional manner.  As I watched him and followed his work, his thoughtful approach to any topic encouraged me to trust.  His ability to think of things that no one else considers inspired me to stretch past my own perceived limitations.  Through mere observation, he is able to cut to the heart of any matter with thorough precision.  I admire how he uses his pinpoint accuracy to extricate blockages and influence situations with the skill of a surgeon (I’m actually astounded by it.)  It is obvious that he possesses the ability to use a sword if and when he chooses.  He is well aware that a sword can be used as a tool or a weapon.  



I admire his level of patience and control.  I thought I was a patient person, but my friend makes me look like a kid with an ice cream on a hot summer day.  Within that patience is a purpose so pure of focused intention that time would surely stop for him, to be used as he sees fit.  



He is scholarly beyond anyone else I know, but unlike others he doesn’t try to impress anyone with it.  It’s in the thoughtfulness of his answers, in an effort to communicate ideas well that he reveals a grasp of what can only be an astonishing knowledge base.  He is one of those people you automatically think of asking, when pondering principles or searching for elusive truths.  



There is no other better friend to have than one that possesses a huge capacity for kindness and loyalty. I’ve seen him stick close by a friend who was upset and I’ve seen him muster an army to rally around another.  Those golden moments that I’ve witnessed have inspired me to nurture those traits in myself, and I hope to succeed.    



I greatly admire his learned nature and his ability to see into a situation to come up with the perfect plan.  When someone asked him what he wanted to do when he finished saving the world, my friend’s answer was simply “read.”  This came as no surprise but still made me wonder what type of books he would read, the subjects he would explore, the knowledge he would crush.  The surprise came at the thought that once all his selfless careful hard work is complete, while he could easily have fame and glory, my friend would find a cozy couch in front of a fireplace somewhere and curl up with a good book… and believe it or not, that may be what I admire the most.