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What If Paul Carapetyan Reached 50 Years?

30 Jan 2008
Posted by Pete Carapetyan

Paul Carapetyan is my brother, and today Wed Jan 30th is his 50th birthday. So it's OK that I would blog about him :)

Paul Carapetyan Family May 2008 

Paul Carapetyan with his children Lucy, David, and Anna

Bird Boy Turns Man

When Paul was maybe 10 years old, I didn't think there was a chance he would ever be anything but an Ornithologist, so serious was his study of birds.  I soon found out that Paul could, and would, be able to do whatever he wanted to do. For a long time I suspected that everything I could do he could do better; maybe that's why I switched careers in my 40s hoping he wouldn't be able to follow. The competition is too tough!

Paul as Parent and Caregiver

Paul was a parent years earlier than I was, and I credit his excellent role modeling, as well as that of David, as being the single most inspiring thing to help me be a better parent. This sounds kind of cute, of course; how sweet for a brother to give his younger brother credit like that. Nothing sweet about it!  I watched his every move, and imitated everything I could bring into my own behavior. Paul is a great parent, and my own kids owe him a debt of gratitude for anything I did right by them. What Paul does instinctively in this area I have to really work at, practice, even script out. Thanks, Paul, for making my job much easier and giving me confidence I never would have had otherwise.

We were discussing what to give Paul for his 50th and couldn't even think of what he did for a hobby to look for a gift - then we started joking that his hobby was caring about people. Kind of true, and it has been since he was a kid. Whether Ron Grant, Ron Griffith, Derf Nalpak (Fred Kaplan), any of a dozen stray birds, an aging and ailing Kisa, or most of the many relatives we met at our Carapetyan reunion a decade ago, Paul is the one who takes care of people and builds relationships. Even today with his ridiculously demanding schedule you'll see him out one day every week with meals on wheels serving the elderly who he doesn't even know.

Paul as Businessman and Thinker

It is Paul, of us 5 brothers and sisters, who became a serious investor. With several profitable real estate deals and companies to his credit and more to follow, he invests in more than just people; he's also successful in developing businesses.

Not just a man of action, Paul is also a thinker. Did you know that he has written a novel ? He keeps his thoughts most private, but don't let that fool you.  If Paul left this world at 50 he could look back on a life already well lived.  He has much joy to look forward to in his second 50 years, as do those around him.


Paul's early love of birds may have been eclipsed by his love for many other things. The depth of his love and his investment in others reflects the same care and skill that he learned from his first love. The life he has planted since has produced many great fruits just as did the birds before them, by learning to fly.

 

Paul Carapetyan Children Chicago 2008

Lucy at left lives in Chicago. Anna lives in New York City, and David lives in Austin Texas.

Lucy is active as an actress in Chicago theater. Anna is a dancer, and David drives race cars on the rally circuit.

 

 

 

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