KT Man,
I believe the part of you we may miss the most is your approach to life. Of course, that involves all of your attributes. A complex mix of characteristics, actions, and perspectives. It’s winding down to 100 letters so I’ve highlighted one more of your attributes: 'Disadvantage is a state of mind that can be overcome.' The beauty of this one was your recipe.
You put it together by being in a state of advantage, the real state of mind so that disadvantage becomes the sister converse. When advantaged, the opposite is elective. A perspective taken only as a thought experiment. Your advantage was not conferred though. You had no birth right. The family was like any other family that worked the day and spent time together. Money was usually tight except for the JTM, particularly in college and beyond. Your mama lama would activate the ATM with a transfer of cash from the JT family account. We all looked the other way.
So your way was always started with the advantage. The view. Earned through work and practice. Ingredient number one. It came in work outs for football and power lifting. Golf whenever you could. What ever the game defined by points, pounds, or time, nothing good comes from doing nothing.
You knew you had strength from an early age but it wasn’t until adolescence that you realized it overflowed in your body. So, strength was yours, but you built on it. That’s when the football and power lifting became cousins in competition. Ingredient two.
Your patience was always present, a third ingredient needed for advantage. The pause, the look, the quiet certainty even though it was only in the pause and the look so uncertainty could be dispelled.
A critical fourth ingredient was your ability to roll and go with the flow. Not disrupt but learn the rhythm of movement. Of others. Time and timing were both part of this flow, creating a strong and gentle way forward. Strange complements.
Finally, it was the addition of your other attributes that finished off the recipe, particularly your ability to listen, smile, and show kindness. The effect was disarming. Show no disadvantage because you have created the advantage.
Poof. Recipe complete: Disadvantage is a state of mind that can be overcome. I’ll work on it. Add the ingredients and bring your way into mine.
We love you and have learned so much from your brief 28 years with us. Too soon to be gone but so grateful we got the best of you while you were here.
JT Man