Grateful for the Boys

I am grateful for the boys, the brothers that I have chosen. It is unfortunate that English has only one word for love. And so, it is challenging to describe my sentiment towards my inner circle, the friends who I call the boys; the friends who are the men that make me a better man. I think it is rare to find a community in which you truly belong. I would imagine deep, thick, and meaningful connections are scarcely found. I am lucky to have found it.

Amid the silliness, the jabs and jokes, there is substance in our brotherhood. The boys and I have matured together, and have wandered from adolescence to young adulthood shoulder by shoulder. The boys support me with only one condition: that I be my best self. They demand excellence because they know I am capable of it. The feeling is mutual. The boys have taught me a love of which there is no word. The boys are my biggest backers. No matter the size of the brawl, I will be in their arenas. I will raise their fists to victory.

I wish to see them happy as they wish to see me happy. I want the boys to find the job, purpose, and partner of their dreams. Their wins are my wins and their losses are mine too. Out of the seven billion people that walk this earth, I have found my tribe.

I am grateful for the boys.