Man and boy

The man N (left) first met the man T (right) when the latter was a five year old boy.
I have a clear memory of the day we drove T, a troubled child in owl-specs, from a family visit back to the putative safety of his residential home.
Subsequently he moved to a long-term foster family and struggled through the vissitudes of life as a statutory 'looked-after child' along with all the additional adversities that stemmed from his earlier experiences.
As his designated social worker, N remained with him every step of the way until his professional involvement ceased when T came of age.
And yet, for over 20 years since, the two have maintained contact, N providing moral support and friendly advice to T as he has found work, married, set up home and occasionally still battled with the challenges of being dealt a disadvantaged hand in life.
Two years ago the 'boy' T was a guest at the man N's 60th birthday party.
Today N dropped in to congratulate T on the occasion of his 40th.

I still get a lump in my throat when I see them together and see what 'care' can really mean, given the opportunity, the persistence and the will that's needed to make it a success.

This is to congratulate them both, man and boy, for travelling so far together as carer/client and as friends.
It's Not Every Day that social workers get the celebration they deserve.