I believe that the meaning of life is found in the people who keep showing up. And when I think of someone who has continued to show up in my life here in Tennessee, my good friend Mohamad immediately comes to mind.

Mohamad and I became friends ten years ago when our wives worked together at Vanderbilt University.

What started out as a “we should get together on Saturday for brunch and bring our husbands along so we can all meet” evolved into a tradition of meeting for brunch on a monthly basis; as we take turns hosting at our homes.

His wife Lena thoughtfully accompanied my wife Jill to doctor’s appointments when I couldn’t be there.

Our families went on a Fourth of July Staycation together. We’ve met each other’s parents and siblings multiple times.

I will never forget the day my wife’s car got a flat tire on the unimaginably busy I-65 in Nashville post-work traffic. I called Mohamad. Not only did he pick up, but he showed up.

After I swapped vehicles so my wife could drive home in mine, Mohamad stayed with me on the side of the Interstate as we got my wife’s car back in drivable condition. That included driving me to the parts store to buy a universal 4 way lug wrench and a hydraulic jack, as it wasn’t until my wife got a flat tire that I realized her car we would just bought didn’t come the basic versions in the trunk of the car like I assumed it always does.

(Since that day, years ago, I now always carry those tools with me carry in my Jeep; as well as jumper cables, a blanket, a couple cans of Kroger brand seltzer water, and a protein bar.)

It was Mohamad who inspired me to start weight training at the gym a few years ago. It was Mohamad who took my official headshot for my upcoming book.

I would be sad, but we are moving less than 3 hours away. So I know that while our families won’t be seeing each other at least once each month, as we’ve been doing for the past several years, we will continue to make the mutual effort as we’ve always done.