Rather than share one memory, I want to share a few words about a lifelong friendship.   
 
Rob and I were born the same month in 1954, attended the same school (Watson’s in Edinburgh) from age 6 to 17, and became close friends at college together in St. Andrews.   Ellen came into my life and we became Dave&Ellen, Brenda came into Rob’s life and they became Rob&Brenda, and the friendship between the two of us evolved into the friendship of two couples.   It is a remarkable thing, rich and rare and special, when the trust and shared values of friends broadens fully to their partners, and over the close to fifty years the four of us have been close, it has always been a constant in our lives.   Although separated by the Atlantic for almost the whole time, there hasn’t been a year when we haven’t found a way to connect and share our joys and our frustrations and the wonders and worries of being parents.   Brenda’s beautiful spirit, her commitment to making it better for others, her intuition and perceptiveness,  her selflessness and her openness to share all of these have been pillars in this lifelong friendship.   What a wonderful gift to the world she has been.