What I Think about Kevin Riley Turning 40

Kevin turns 40 years old on August 1, 2013.  That is still, in my mind, quite crazy.  Not so much because 40 years have passed since he was born or that it’s been close to 31 years since we first met … no … truth is, it’s hard for me to grasp the idea that Kevin is 40 because he simply doesn’t live like someone who is 40, nor has he ever.  Kevin Riley is and probably always will be a kid at heart, and that makes him timeless.  Let’s dig a little deeper.

I met Kevin after starting the 3rd grade at Montclair Elementary in the late summer of 1982.  I remember the moment clearly.  I had just moved from the Montessori classes to the “normal” classes which Kevin had been a member of since Kindergarten.  Kevin was already fully entrenched with the kids and had close friendships with a number of them, including Rob Davidson.  Rob was the one who introduced me to Kevin as we all sat in a circle in the classroom on one of the first days.  I remember Kevin shook my hand and then turned to talk to one of the other kids, barely giving me a second thought.  Even still, I had a feeling he and I would be getting into some adventures later on.  We certainly have.  It would take me days to go through all of the insane moments in our friendship so far, so I won’t even try to start here (but I will be happy to tell those stories at any time).

By the end of the year Kevin was one of my best friends, although I may not have been one of his considering how popular he was, particularly with the girls.  Kevin always had a charm about him that made him immediately likable, especially with the ladies (you have to say “lay-dees” with the same silky smooth voice you know he’d say it with).  He had a warm smile, a tenor voice and a natural ability to joke and play his way into the best graces of everyone he’s ever encountered, a trait he has refined and perhaps perfected over the years. 

Throughout his life so far, Kevin has had the uncanny ability to earn the trust and friendship of those he meets with what seems to be the greatest of ease.  Within a few minutes of meeting him you’ll know full well how warm and friendly he is, how quickly he can bring up a joke or story, how he’ll find a commonality between him and you and begin to explore that.  After 30 minutes, you can’t help but like the guy.  After an hour, you really want to know more about him (and he’ll be happy to share that with you) and hang out with him.  Now if you’re a child, this process happens at a greatly accelerated rate.  Give Kevin 10 minutes and he’ll be the kid’s favorite playmate and human toy.  Give him an hour and the kid will be asking “When do I get to see Kevin again?” as you make your way home.  I can think of no greater attribute for any person than to so easily and richly enter the hearts of his friends and make their lives better.

How can someone with that quality ever be considered “old?”  Like I said, I just can’t get my head around it.  Even in these past few years when things have been rough in his life Kevin always found a smile and a joke for his friends, family and the children in his life.  Kevin always found the bright point in a day, even on the days when those were nearly impossible to find.  In the end it was that endless supply of goodness that has helped him to right his ship and help many of those around him do the same.  That, my friends, is someone with tons of life and love in him, and that is rare these days.  I can think of few people in the world who can warm the hearts and souls of people as well as Kevin does.  Whether he’s singing a Muppet song, re-telling jokes from movies or kid shows, doing a silly dance or just telling a story, Kevin lives like a kid, finding the joy in the moment and sharing it equally with all around him.  Yeah, he’s got gray highlights in his hair, but I don’t notice them when he’s laughing that silly, childish laugh that he has (you can hear it now, can't you?).

Kevin simply is the best, biggest kid I know.  And like I said, that makes him timeless despite the number of years under his belt.  That also makes him the best of friends, the best of people in the world, and someone that we should all treasure on his birthday and every day. 

I know I do.