Sunday Night With John: The Tao of Kylebuddy!

I met Kyle years ago while I was still in college.  We met through a mutual friend who thought we would get along. How that first meting went is a story for another day, but over the years a life long friendship has developed.  To say Kyle marches to the beat of a different drum is the cheap way to describe him. It’s just difficult to find the right way to describe him.  Kyle is someone I go to when I want a different advice and a new view on a problem I’m facing in life.  Kyle has a fantastic way of keeping things simple when it comes life’s problems.  He cuts through the drama, help me stop the back and forth thinking, helps me place emotions in the proper context and has a way of making me go, “I didn’t think of it that way.”

When my public speaking was struggling years ago, Kyle sat back and listened to me complain about why I thought I wasn’t hitting on all cylinders. He pondered after listening and stated at some point you are going to have to go all in, because your story is good, how you deliver it is great, and if you want to reach a bigger audience you need to care for it more.  After that talk I rededicated how I care for my talk.  

He also helped long ago when I was going back and forth between living in Ohio with my family and staying in Iowa where I have been since age 18.  Kyle looked at me and asked why walk away from your speaking base to start over? If you want to speak more you need stay here and finish what you started.  Yet again the simple way of saying stick to it.

When I was talking with him about my feelings for Anne on a long bike ride, I was beginning to think seriously about purposing to her and making her my future wife and wanted his input.  He simply said that is a good decision because she is fun, treats you well, helps you grow as a person, and she will be a great mom.  Once again, a simple answer to a serious question.

Lastly, when Anne and I were talking about someone to perform the ceremony for our wedding, Kyle came to mind as he has put a lot of effort into getting to know Anne. When we asked him if he would, he didn’t gush, didn’t jump of joy, he just said he would love to, and that he will do it correctly. Kyle was again shouting the correct answer by using a whisper.

I’m less than three weeks from walking down the aisle with Anne.  The message Kyle will deliver for our guests and to Anne and I will no doubt be beautiful and a message that no one would have thought they would hear at a wedding.  Kyle will find a way to talk about love that will make Anne and I appreciate each other more and cause the audience to think, I never thought of love that way. That’s just what Kyle does and I’m a better person today for all the times he bestowed his wisdom upon my life.