Maxwell and I met at S’s wedding two years back. He was fun and funny and gave good wedding acquaintance-ship.

Fast forward to January 2010, when Max and I stepped beyond acquaintances and started developing a friendship which began with a simple something along the lines of “Wanna hang? This is totally not a date.”

Over the course of the last four months, we have argued countless times, disagreed on much of it, laughed at the other stuff and pushed the other in the opposite direction on what was left of it. Also, we trade secrets about ourselves and our friends, and where possible, make fun of each other about said secrets out loud.

Essentially, over the course of the last four months, Max has become one of my favourite people and among the most important.

Of special interest is that he has lived with Cystic Fibrosis since the age of two, and this makes him a very different man than most men and women I know – he carries and illustrates an appreciation for everything and anything that few of us share because we are spoiled and we refuse to engage with this world in the same manner as he.

Max will tell you, flat out and under no pretense that: He “is dying”, and so I don’t need to be delicate about the following. Primarily that I really hope Max’s lifeline is a miracle. For the most selfish of reasons, I want this new friend of mine in my life for as long as possible. Basically, I only really found Max four months ago and I don’t want to lose (or loose) him too soon. (Ultimately, it’s always somehow about ME.)

Beyond a shadow of any doubt, Max lives his life true to his statement of “I’m dying!” even though sometimes, that gets him in trouble with very small animals. (1) S says that Max will outlive us all. I say “Inshallah & I don’t doubt it”.

Sunday was his 29th birthday and this is the card I gave him, along with a compass as a gift. (2)

The card read:

So that you never lose your way during the darkest of circumstance – or when you’re being really lame…or, like, totally misguided. Because sometimes? You can be really dumb.

Happy Birthday, Maxi.

& thank you for your friendship.

Ultimately, we could all use to learn from Maxi. (3)

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(1) I am lying like a (pretty) rug.
(2) My favourite photo of Max was made into a pin which I wore for his birthday extravaganza and which now sits on my wall at work. LOOK, SEE!

(3) To ensure he doesn’t get a big head, let me state the otherwise obvious: often, he’s a complete tool.

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