Mark the name Youssef

We lived under the same roof for almost 20 years. We call the same woman "mama" and the same guy "daddy". We used to play the same games like "bahay-bahayan", "shato", volleyball, "text", "tumbang preso", "tatsing tsinelas", "habul-habulan", "tagu-taguan" and "base base-han". We ate the same food on the same table. Listens to the mass on the same catholic church. Gone to the same school from elementary to high school even went to the same University. I came to know him as kuya Cris but his friends call him Mark. He is my brother and my Idol.

If people ask me to describe my kuya, I often tell them that my Kuya is intelligent. It's the first thing that comes into my head. Maybe because when I was still a student he is the one that I look up to since he is really good in school. My kuya is an achiever, a high perfomer. He excel in any field that he's in. I believe the secret is because he is determined and focused. My kuya is a family loving man. I liked how he loves our mother. And secretly I feel that among all of us, he is the favorite child of our mother. It's hard to make peace when his angry since he is a really stubborn person. But he's not easily angered unless it's a serious issue.

He is the best person to have as a friend, our cousin who is also my kuya's bestfriend can atest to that. Not to mention the best brother that can I ever asked for, I may not tell this to him but I really missed having worthwhile conversations with him, what's good with my kuya is he is open to any topics, he ask me sensitive questions but I never get offended. He is the only guy aside from Panyet that I can open myself to. As I always say my kuya is really intelligent so talking with him means talking stuff with sense. Sometimes our talking can turn into a debate. He is best in debates, my mother can surely testify to that, hehe! peace kuya!

Back in our home when he was still jobless, my mother thinks that my kuya had no direction in life. That he is lazy and laid back. It's because kuya loves sleeping and he often wakes up really late the following morning. In my head I know that he is not. My kuya is intelligent and talented and it's impossible for him not to have a better life. I know he have plans for himself and he is just waiting for the right time and the right opportunity. I know it, because he is a person who plans. He had already pictured in his head what he will become years from now. He is ambitous and that's what I liked about him.

And now on his 25 years of existence, he yet again impressed me by taking a big step which I believe just made me looked up unto him even more. I know him by the name Mark but my brother is no longer the skinny and geek type brother that I used to know. He had changed, changed for the better. On his birthday last January 11, he take a big step away from his old self and into a new person, a new life, a new belief.

"As salaam alaikum" Youssef, my brother. With your new belief, may you continue to be the same person, same friend, same son, same brother that we used to know. I know you will be a good follower of Islam as you were as a christian. And no matter what path you would decide to go, you will always be the same brother that I used to play "habulan" with. Again, Happy Birthday and I miss you!