Happy Birthday Mark March 7, 2006
Today is Mark’s birthday. At the moment he’s still asleep due to Finn deciding to deliver some (very) early birthday wishes, so it’s the perfect moment for this post.
I don’t know of any men who would deal with the changes to their life over the last 3 years with as much equanimity as Mark has. To be retrenched, become a parent and primary caregiver and return to study is a big ask and he has managed it all beautifully, in spite of the hiccoughs and bumps along the way.
The term Sensitive New Age Guy has been much maligned and mocked, but it is a good description for Mark. He’s not afraid to show his feelings and share them. And he has no need of machismo to enlarge himself in the presence of others. People mistake this for weakness and they are wrong. There are many who could learn from it.
Of course, he has his faults. But they are far outweighed by his virtues and I think that those of us who have Mark in our lives are the richer for it. There’s no one I know who would say that they are worse off for knowing him.
Happy Birthday my lovely.
nx
I am not in the habit of befriending blokes in pubs but I could tell all of these things about Mark the moment I met him, so I made an exception. I am also not in the habit of inviting random groups of strangers back to my house after a gig, but again - the twinkle in his eye, his quick wit and his charm made me rapidly conclude he was probably not an axe murderer. And my life has been made all the richer for my decisions that night as now I can count him as a friend.
this is a very sweet entry (and also comment for that matter. Happily only the former made me cry but they were both very welcome.