The Weather Report: iv.

What is true love?

Love that goes halfway,
love that cannot find
the muster to go the
extra mile when need be
is not love at all.

Love that doesn't take risks,
doesn't answer the beckoning
call to serve, lead the way
isn't love at all.

Love that cannot find
a sure footing, an unswerving
foundation on which it can stand
isn't love at all.

Love that only pays lip service
to a special someone,
never truly means the words
it says out loud -
how could it be love at all.

How could it be otherwise:
love that takes risks,
lives in sincerity,
finds a secure place
on which it can stand
unshaken -

now that
is truly love at heart,
love to live for,
to represent wholeheartedly
for life.

The Weather Report: iii.

Looking out the window: it's been
a month & two weeks
since I last set foot in this neighborhood.
Yet it seems like an eternity,
two years, two hours...
How long has it truly been
since I last found the strength
to say the words
you've been waiting to hear?

How long have I struggled
to articulate these words,
to honestly say how much
you are loved & appreciated?
It took some time, some tears,
some questioning
but now I found the confidence
to show my love,
my support like no other
has been able to do as yet.

Soon I'll need to step outside,
see the world,
get back in touch
with the love of my life
fearlessly, hopefully.

The Weather Report: ii.

How could it be otherwise:
Love of this magnitude
was never designed
for four years alone.

Love of this magnitude
was meant to be for life.
How hard
it must be
for some duders to know /
comprehend this simple fact.

They don't know what it means
just to keep this love going,
to sustain it wholeheartedly:
Let me tell you,
keeping this love fervent
can be a struggle sometimes.

It could never be otherwise:
to say that such love
could be lived only for the moment,
only for special occasions
is inexcusable.

This is loyalty making itself known -
not lukewarm dedication,
not halfhearted platitudes
but complete commitment
to one love,
one common cause we share.

The Weather Report: i.

Time to start again:
but I'm still keeping on
in my corner,
more steadfast
than I've ever been
in ages.

How could it be
otherwise,
even after all this time?

Where so many others
folded up their tents
& walked away
from the love of their lives
after a few years
I stayed on,
never forgot
just how special
the love of my life
always was to me.

Time to start again:
But no, there is no ending
to this love, this life
living in love.

How could it be otherwise?

Red and Green: v.

Once more
we have returned
to where all the action began,
to where
we first heard about
the man of the hour,
one man
who knows how to
brighten up the days
of many
simply by walking
into a room,

or simply by
wearing their letters.
Now that we've heard
about the amazingness
which has come
to define the man
himself, we also know
just how great he is
in stature as well -

He is a man of character,
a man who is a steadfast
believer in integrity,
loyalty, & following
in the footsteps of his
true peers.

All of the above
leave their mark
in everything he does
& whatever
he does for the most part
is done with a spirit
of selflessness
you just can't overlook.

That's why he's such
a household name around here:
how else would he be
able to make heads turn
with such heartfelt
displays of honesty
& unswerving support?

There is no other way
for one to describe
just how much he regards
the love of his life:
more than words alone
ever could.

Just take a look
at that man out there
shining in those
incandescent colors
you've come to love:
now that's the mark
of someone living
by his word,
following his heart.

Red and Green: iv.

Proof of true love:
it's in the heart
of the man you see
decked out
in letters
other than his own.

Others can
talk up a huge storm
about how much
they "are down
with the love of
their lives."

But how many
of those folks have
you seen
actually show their love
in the little things
which I have made
part of my life's work,
my trademark?

For the record,
a select few.
The rest are all
speaking gibberish.
No wonder, then,
why they don't
wholeheartedly
know what true love
means, what it
truly is.

True love is
not to be found
in just a few words
of print
but it is lived out
on a daily basis.

Where can one
find such love as this?
Look no further
than the heart
of the man who
is decked out in
letters other
than his own.

Red and Green: iii.

Gotta show some love
sometime:
not just when the need arises,
not just for special occasions
but always.

Even saying
how much the love
of my life is cherished
isn't that difficult to do.

Some duders "show their love"
but it's all a front,
a facade they put on
like some costume.
With me,
it's a whole other story.

I show my love not
solely in the words I speak
or in the words
which I commit to pen
& paper
but also in selfless action:
going out of my way
to wholeheartedly
lend my support
to the love of my life.

Red And Green: ii.

The message of love
is forever & always the same:
"I do what I do because I care,
because you are appreciated."

Time & time again this is my task:
carrying out the work
so many others leave unfinished.

No wonder then, some folks
have to ask, Who does this man
think he is?
why does he do what he does
so often?

My response is straightforward:
"I do what I do because I care."

Yet that's not all:
"I do what I do out of
the goodness of my heart,
because I believe in integrity,
loyalty, respect,
showing courtesy."

This isn't too much to ask.
For some, it might be.
But not me.

And why? there is no
greater feeling than to be
a steadfast supporter
of someone you love
with all your heart.

Red and Green: i.

Household name,
poster duder:
whatever labels
you try to pin
on the man of the hour
they just don't seem
to stick for long.
Sure, he's both
of the above
in one way or another
but there's so much
more about the man
you haven't heard about

just yet. He's one
of the sweetest persons
around as anyone
who has seen
or known him firsthand
is going to tell you.
He's one of the more
heartfelt duders
who can brighten the days
of one & all
anytime he steps into a room.
He truly means what he says.
Unlike most duders
who go halfway
in their support for the love
of their lives
his support is genuine:
it never falters,
never wavers, always endures.

Most of all, he's a honest-to-
goodness spokesperson,
always a champion
for a common cause.

Slow Dances: xiii.

The music has ended,
all dancing has been over & done with:

yet love still lives on,
enduring every trial
which comes up.

Love still lives on,
enduring change.

Love still lives on,
without wavering,
the slightest notion of
compromising.

Love still lives on,
not just in words
but in deeds as well.

Love still lives on,
never forgetting.

Love still lives on,
never losing sight
of its true aims.

Love still lives on,
never doubting,
always hopeful.

There is no question
about what love can do:
it lives on,
always keeping in mind
that it was meant to be.

Love always lives on,
always stays the course
no matter what.

Love lives on, finding a way
to touch countless lives,
brighten countless days.

Love lives on, holding
steadfast & true,
keeping honest & loyal.

Slow Dances: xii.

Keeping it real -
you know that's what he does
when it comes to showing
how strongly he stands
by the side of his lifelong love.

Keeping it humble -
he doesn't have to brag
up & down about how much
he values the love of his life.
To tell you the truth,
he knows how much his first love
is cherished without
having to spell it out
for everyone.

Just watch him walking
down the way in those letters
which have defined his life:
no introduction is needed
at this point...You just know
that he's for real.
Not only that, he deserves
the praises & all the love
which he's been getting.

That's the man of the hour
for you, our hero at work:
doing what he loves,
loving what he does.

Slow Dances: xi.

"This is not the last dance
but the
start of another."


The man of the hour
has been giving the love
of his life lots of thought
for who knows how long.
But unlike some duders
who had the audacity
to shove their first love aside
for somebody else,
he stayed the course,
kept believing in his love
no matter what changes
took place,
no matter what others said,
& no matter what others thought
about the whole thing.


He could never brush off
the love of his life
& never would either,
come to think of it.
It was not just wrong;
for him,
it was also an insult
to treat his first love
like a passing fad
or a style of the day
which easily gets old.
For our man of the hour,
the love of his life
would always endure,
through good times & bad,
through thick & thin.

This is why you see him
out on the floor as we speak,
arm in arm with someone
he can fully place his trust in,
not as fling, not as a one-time deal
but for life.
He knows full well that
when it comes to supporting
the love of his life
he never will go halfway
in his commitment.

So he takes each step
not just gracefully
but with special care: his life
up to now
has been a dance lesson,
something he's learned over time.
Now the last song of the night
is about to begin: he is ready
to make the most of this moment,
to confirm that the love
of his life is one love
he wouldn't leave for any other,
long after this dance
& long after the music has stopped
playing at the formal hall.

Slow Dances: x.

What does it take to be
the pride & joy of one chapter?
How must one go about
becoming that pride & joy,
the one man
whom most ladies have more
good lines for than any other?

It's not through how much
one can drink,
not through the clothes he wears
or through the connections
he has. And it is not
through how well known
he is in the eyes of many.
True, all of these things
are fine & dandy but -
what matters is this:
his quest to become
the chapter's pride & joy
begins from the heart,
from within.

Respect, courtesy:
these two always go hand in hand
& our hero has known this
ever since he began
supporting his favorite ladies.
Without either of the above,
how will one win their hearts,
make oneself stand out
to become the chapter's one & only
for a spell?
Without both one can do neither.

Personality is a plus.
Our hero may appear to be
soft-spoken but don't let
that veneer fool you for one moment:
when you ask him why he
loves Alpha O or Delta Z
unlike any other duder around
he's on hand
to provide not just that ready answer
you all are waiting for
but something more: all the reasons
why he loves them in the first place,
not just one or two reasons.

If that's not enough, he's got to be
willing to lend his support
(gotta love this word) unswervingly,
not reserving his love for
the chapter for special occasions.
Showing his dedication as best he can,
he values his ladies highly,
to let them know they are appreciated,
loved, respected greatly.
Our hero settles for nothing less
than this: that his fave ladies are
shown all the love he can give selflessly
out of the goodness of his heart.
Even saying congratulations to the
newly initiated isn't a difficult task
for him to take on.

These are / should be the defining marks
of a chapter sweetheart:
respect, courtesy, personality,
unswerving support & dedication.
These things alone make our hero
any chapter's pride & joy,
the undisputed man of the hour.

Slow Dances: ix.

Loyalty: either you
have it
or you don't.
Believe me;
that's what
any supporter of one
common cause learns
by heart / as he
goes along.

Those who have
loyalty to show,
a heart to give
some of their time
to lend their support,
confirm their love -

now these
are the folks
you will always have
good lines for,
no matter what.

Loyalty: it is
either in your heart
or it's not.
I speak this truth
once more
for those who will listen,
for those
who truly understand
what it takes to even be
decked out in
these letters.

Slow Dances: viii.

Now or never:

the hero of the day
gets in line for the main event,
knowing full well that he's got
something to prove:
Gotta lotta love he says
out of the goodness of
his heart.

Gotta lotta love:
there is no denying that he
is not paying lip service
to his favorite ladies
& there is no denying
that his heart is in the
right place: with those
he has loved the most.

He has much love
in his heart: nothing can
fail our man of the hour.
Truth is, nothing
ever did fail him
when it came down to
showing his loyalty,
his hearfelt support.

And here he is
right now, waiting to
make his statement:
that he is keeping
his love real.

Slow Dances: vii.

How many have stood
by your side
through both good times & bad?

how many have sworn
their wholehearted loyalty to you
without wavering, the slightest
swerving for one moment?

How many have truly kept
true to their word
when they said you were
& always are the love
of their lives?

how many more have lived up
to their promises of saying
how much their first love
is appreciated, treated
with respect?

How many have held to your
corner with a love that has
always been steadfast?

How many have shown
their courtesy & value you highly?

How many more have said
with heartfelt confidence
that you were always the one,
their whole heart?

just how many have believed
in you even when the going
got tough?

Only time will tell, only time
could say.
I can say with certainty

that I've done all of the above.

Slow Dances: vi.

"...To those whom my life may touch in slight measure, may I give graciously of what is mine; to my friends, understanding and appreciation; to those closer ones, love that is ever steadfast...to myself, faith that I may walk truly in the light of the flame." - Dorothy Mumford Williams

Selfless love & friendship
that remains steadfast
& lifelong: I have found it
right here.

Without question
I have found some of
the most precious memories
& most worthwhile moments

ever to grace my life.
If that's not enough
already, some of my
greatest joys in life

can be found right here.
I am thankful & blessed
to be supporting love this true,
steadfast & strong.

To this very day
I remain joyful & blessed
that I am still a heartfelt
supporter of my first love,

always have been & always will be.

Slow Dances: v.

If anyone wants to know
who the classiest ladies on campus are
look no further than here:

if they're wearing the letters
of Alpha O proudly on their sleeves
you just ran into them,

if they're proudly carrying around
their Alpha O totes
you just ran into them,

& if they're doing both of the above
you know who the classiest ladies are
without needing to ask who.

You don't have to say much
to know who the classiest ladies are:
just listen to their talk,

watch the way they walk,
their attitude, their smiles -
not much else needs to be

said that hasn't been said
already. The classiest ladies
on campus have always been

Alpha O's. Much love,
lots of roses,
plenty of respect shown.

Slow Dances: iv.

"If you're going to put the letters on put them on your heart." -Dave Stollman

These letters which I wear
on my sleeve & on my heart
are not decorations,
ornaments:
they're living symbols
of all that I am,
all that I am striving to become.

These letters which I am wearing
display my truthful colors,
part of a much larger picture
which is my life.

Never were they meant to be
thrown on/off at will,
discarded, dispensed: No.
These letters are for life,
not temporary.

So I guard them well, realizing
that the first impressions which
I make with these letters
are the ones plenty of folks
will remember me by.

These letters tell others
not just who I represent
but the ideals which I
have always stood for.

Just one more reason why
I wear these letters both
on my sleeve & on my heart.

Slow Dances: iii.

The man of the hour, our hero
& most beloved spokesperson
has always had a way
with clothes, namely the collection
of sorority T-shirts
which are overflowing in his closet.
His roomies, brothers,
closest friends can only wish
that they had the sorority spirit
which he always displays
like none other. (And of course,
one pair of letters is off limits
to virtually everyone
except - you guessed it,
our hero.)

Some, without surprise, are jealous
as if to say the man of the hour
is not who he says he is
or is just a honorary
so-rat member: "Well, he could
just as well be wearing his own letters
for once..." as if they harbor
some secret doubts or misgivings
about this duder's true colors.
Yet all they can do is stop, stare:
there isn't much room for them to speak
their minds about the sight
whom they're seeing all decked out
in cardinal, green & pink, etcetera.

And why? They don't have the blessing,
some kind of approval
which is needed to wear these letters
in the first place.

Yet they have to love the man
for showing his support like he does:
he does his life's work quite well,
displaying his true colors
at all times & not solely
when the occasion arises to do so.

The letters he is wearing are
a lifetime commitment he made a long
time ago, what he returns to
repeatedly for inspiration,
for love.

These letters are not / never were
a fashion statement, a fad of the day:
they were meant to be worn
for life.

Slow Dances: ii.

Love: its radiance shines
like a lamp,
what's more - as Jacqueminot
or Killarney
it stands out above all others.


It's right here,
one of the greatest joys
anyone could have,
one of the greatest joys
anyone could share.


Love: its radiance is all aglow
as flame, candle,
light which shall not fade.


I have found my first love
right here, & all others
from this moment forward
have fallen by the wayside.

Ever since
the first day I ran into
my first love I realized
there could be no
looking back:

I found my closest friends,
with whom my heart
could find common ground,

share a common vision,
work for a common cause.

For all this alone,
my heart is now aglow
in love which has
always been / will always be
one of the greatest joys of
my life.

Slow Dances: i.

Oh ya: here comes
the man of the hour,
our hero:
you never know
who his first love
truly is / always has been
until you
see him wearing her letters
in person.

One day you'll find him
dressed up in green
& pink. The next
it's a whole other story -
this time he's wearing
cardinal. Just the same
he's showing his love
with his whole heart,
an unswerving singleness
of purpose no other
duder has exactly
made the effort to reveal.

His heart
is where it has always been
all along. Just one look
into his eyes & you know
that his ties to
his first love remain steadfast,
that his joy about her
remains unshakable,
articulate.

If you haven't known
about the amazingness
which is our hero, the man
of these times, now you know.
You've heard about him?
Well, seeing is believing
every word we've told you
already: He's like
no other
you've seen before or since.

Preface

Love like this doesn't shine
its true colors on random occasions
or only
when it wants to:
it shines brightly for life
& during times like these
when I'm giving
out of the goodness of my heart
these gifts of joy & kindness -
that's when
love such as this
really shines through the most.

This is love I can't forget
or sweep under the rug
as something insignificant:
this love was meant to be
lifelong,
something that shows radiantly
in these letters
which I wear
both on my sleeve
& on my heart.