A birthday celebration to my brother

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR BROTHER! On this your big day, I was very happy to receive this photo from our mother. It shows a sunny summer day in Rydebäck, south of Helsingborg, where we had some bright and formative years in a collective of kids from (as it seemed) happy and optimistic core families.

The reason that I like this photograph is that I think it mirrors our characters and our relation. You’re the serious and target-oriented explorer of the world (in this case a The Famous Five book; probably Five Go Down To The Sea). I am the easy-going spectator of whats going on – more motivated by inspiration and things I stumble over that catch my curiosity.

There’s a nice harmony in the composition. You are deep down in your well of concentration, and you will have finished this book before the evening meal. On the other hand, I will not have achieved anything measurable, but seem to enjoy this afternoon anyway.

The detail you should study is the admiration in my pose. I am fascinated by your reading skills and your focus – which eventually will earn you a Ph.D. and a career where you belong to the industrial elite of our nation.

If I should choose a single memory where I felt empowered by having such an able brother is the day during my high school years when you, the tech student at LTH, sat down to teach me how derivatives work.

I am looking forward to many fun dinners and activities together with our growing families – I am especially happy that we share a passion for music, nature, history and culture.

I think a Swedish SKÅL! is the right way to end this text:
SKÅL, STOREBRORSAN!