It fills in the cracks...

One year, I don't remember which exactly, but I do know it was a few years back, my brother just next to me in age came home with a shirt that said, "CONUNDRUM". He and a few of his friends had these shirts made for the sole purpose of being "cool". In reality, since they were in high school, I believe it was just a way for good boys that listen to their moms and follow school rules to affiliate under the guise of, "yeah, we're bad and we know it." Their gang name of choice...Conundrum.
Years later, that word has actually come to serve it's purpose. My brother has been a conundrum to me ever since we've gotten older. Sometimes he is predictable, other times he causes wonder. Gone are the days where we would trade Matchbox cars and play Barbies... I think we really understood each other then, but as we grew, he had brothers to play with, and I didn't have any sisters, so we parted ways and pretty much stuck to gender specific play.
My brother has grown into a man of few words. Every once in awhile I get a glimpse into who he is when he laughs. He has the best laughs. Sometimes they are loud and quick, other times they last a little bit longer with the timbre of happiness in them, but after that, he goes quiet again.
He is also simple. Not simple in the stupid way, but simple in that you know what makes him happy and those things will always make him happy. Basketball, ice-cold glasses of milk, chocolate, ESPN, the remote control, and the left hand side of the loveseat.
I love when I am surprised. Surprises are the brightest moments of my day. Last night my brother suprised me. He said something that made me laugh. He has made me laugh before, but I don't see him much, and so the surprises from him are few and far between. But last night was aces (how old am I?). We had just finished a great family home evening lesson when I asked if anyone wanted ice cream. The first response was from my brother...he said yes, and then he said, "It fills in the cracks." I laughed. I thought it was so funny...not only because it was funny to me, but because it came from my brother the conundrum, the enigma, the mystery.
So brother, just like ice cream, there is always room for you...you fill in the cracks. I love you.