A man of few words

Thanks to a series of ear infections, he lost his hearing as a child. For several months, he was stone deaf — and the accompanying fluid build-up caused developmental issues in his brain.  He struggled to learn to talk. He was a man of few words.

But what he lacked in words, he more than made up for in actions. He was all heart.  He possessed a sixth sense of empathy; the ability to read other people like books. The young man listened. Observed. Watched. Soaked in other’s needs.  He didn’t talk a good game — he acted.  Others would tell you what they were going to do. He just did it.

His blue eyes twinkled.  A Shakespearean vocabulary could not express the wisdom he could with a look.  And he backed that look up actions.

He was a leader in every sense of the word.  I’ve learned from his wisdom.  I’ve learned from his example.