Frank.

This is Frank.

Frank is my uncle*.

*(Frank is neither the brother of my mother nor my father, nor the brother of their mother or father. He's not even a cousin, really. He is, in fact, the son-in-law of my mother's grandfather's sister. Like I said: uncle.)

Let's be Frank.

No, let's not just play pretend. As much as I like Uncle Frank, I don't need you to be another of him. I like you being you, too.

Let's be Frank.

Let's stop hashing and rehashing our words.

Let's stop filling silences with conversation of no real significance, simply hoping what we really want to say might leak through our stiff façade of socially acceptable discussion practices.

Let's stop assuming everyone else magically knows what we really need to say, and burying it beneath an excess of small talk.

Let's be Frank.

Let's be vulnerable.

Let's lower our defenses, willing to be open and emotional with one another.

Let's stop for a moment and dig through words to find unspoken meanings. 

Let's say "You're special to me." and mean it. 

If we're not Frank today, tomorrow we'll wish that we were.

Somebody needs Frank today.

Let's.