The More I See You

I sat in church today behind a friend of mine.  As I stared at the back of his head in hopes to be able to see through it to the pulpit, I thought on something that a girl I know said.  Once, on her blog, she spoke of her boyfriend stating that when he and his friends spoke of women, they spoke of them with reverence.  It got me thinking.  When it comes to relationships, love shouldn't be a giddy thing, it should be a thing of reverence.

This train of thought led me to consider a man I know, who I've been trying to define for some time now.  I've known him off and on for a few years, but never formed much of an opinion over the good-looking nice guy one.  That was, until I had a missionary friend of mine ask me to describe him.  It took me nearly two hours to write him a letter back, and most of that time was spent in deciding how I would describe this man.*

This man isn't afraid to share his beliefs with other people; he is bold in his actions, and is not ashamed to let others know what his morals are.  He doesn't skew the lines for one or two people; he is always upright and honest in his dealings with his fellowmen.  He sets his goals high, never taking his eyes off of what is most important in life.

Women should be treated with respect, and he goes above and beyond when he comes in contact with one.  Never is he impolite, even in his teasing.  Never is he undercut or cruel.  When he's out with a girl, he opens doors for her, and reprimands her when she doesn't wait for him to do so.  He teaches women that they are worth that extra effort and deserve that respect from men.

He is mindful of his actions around others, only speaking of things sacred or personal when in a one on one setting and the occasion is right.  He understands the importance of keeping up an appearance, and that one believes what a person says based on their actions.  Truly, integrity and charity make up the core of his moral system.  When he works, he gets the job done right the first time and in the most efficient manner he knows.  I never hear him complain about responsibilities he has taken on.  Work ethic like this shows true quality in a person: true potential.  That potential carries through when you see him studying for school.  He works hard in the summer so he doesn't have to hold a job through the winter; this enables him to focus fully on his scholarly pursuits. He isn't blinded and led away by the masses of people that don't believe in the importance of hard work to get an education.  Sometimes he may be too hard on himself, always striving for perfection, but he has a good family to let him know of his worth.

People say that you can tell a person's true character by the way they treat their family members, and you can truly tell what kind of guy this man is by the way he reverences his family.  He speaks sweetly about his mother, and honors his father.  He is kind (with brotherly teasing) to his youngest brother, and stays interested in all his siblings' lives.

He sees the good in people, but recognizes their weaknesses.  Although sometimes he is cynical in his ideas of growing as a person, he cares about the well-being of those people he criticizes.  As such he is ready to help out when asked.  I'm sure if you needed it he would listen to your life story and advise you on how to fix some things, even though he now understands the necessity of not making other people's problems his own.

When it comes to bridling his passions, he is a master at it.  Sure, he enjoys himself with a good friend of his every now again (stealing girls' car keys and hiding their cars, occasionally leaving messages on the windows of said cars), but he knows that such things done in moderation ensure long years of enjoyment.  He won't settle for anything less than what he wants, because he wants what is right.

He is never quick to anger.  In fact, I don't think I've ever seen him angry.  I've seen him hurt, upset, unsure, self accusing, and reflective, but never have I seen him angry.  He isn't mocking or rambunctious in his giddiness, and understands that not all times are for laughter and smiles.  There is a time for everything, and he understands that.

With light in his eyes and ambition in his voice, I hear him gladly talk about temple work and regular temple attendance, and I know he goes with no grudge to his God for the sacrifice of time.  The core of his religious beliefs is Christ, and truly one could call him a good Christian.  In all regards, this man is worthy of glory in my eyes, faults (few of which I can discover) and all.

I know most of this about him from a combined two to three months of observing him.  I'm sure that as I continue in my association with him I will find small flaws and faults, but the basis of this man that I see is surely only more amazing the more you get to know him.  As the great Frank Sinatra once sang, "The more I see you..."**

*I wish I would have kept a copy of that letter, because it was the basis of what I've founded this description on.
** The Frank Sinatra version of this song is actually very difficult to find.  The song was first sung by Nat King Cole, and then redone by many artists, including Michael Buble, to speak of recent artists.