by Kari Trail

Created on: September 01, 2008

I contemplated this article for about five seconds. I searched through the list of topics that I could write on and settled here. I know that I came back to this a few times more than I should have. I wondered, would my big brother really mind if I wrote about him? Then, I thought, sure. There are things he might want to know.

Things between us weren't always perfect. Still aren't as a matter of fact. We always faught when we were young. My brother had a temper and so did I. We butted heads at every turn. Brought things up that should have been long dead. We hurt each other.... deliberately. And I don't just mean emotionally. We got physical. We used to hit, kick, punch, bite, scratch, heck, once we even shot each other with a BB gun! I know for the longest time, my brother had his doubts about our relationship when we got older. I know that he felt guilty about me getting shot. About me breaking my thumb when we were playing hide and seek. About me breaking my collar bone when we played tackle football. But, hey, these were ACCIDENTS! All children have them. It is inevitable. Water under the bridge.

Now, though, we don't get to see each other as often as we should. And you know, when we do, it is happy. We talk and laugh and reminisce for hours. It is as though we are making up to each other for all the wrongs that we have done to each other. My big brother has always and will always be my hero. I always felt that he was the strong one. He could remain so calm when my world was falling apart. When I was acting like a stupid child and being stubborn, it was he that put me in my place. Whenever I needed him, he was there for me. I could cry on his shoulder if I needed to. He would listen to me rant and rave about things that had gone wrong in my life. He was THERE when I needed someone. And you know, through all the rough times, it was he who cheered me up. He was the one who took me out for ice cream (and slammed on the brakes so that I spilled it down my front!) He was the one who carried me to the car and took me to the hospital when I fried myself trying to fix a dishwasher! (Yep, stubborn ole me!) My big brother is my hero... and my best friend. Even if we don't talk all the time.

So, I believe that you can change that relationship. If it wasn't very close in the beginning.. turn it around. Call him up one day and go out to eat. Take some time to be a family again. Open your heart and mind and realize that the other person has feelings and a life as well. Sometimes we get so busy in our day to day activities that we don't stop to realize that we have grown older and grown apart. Family is sacred. You can never replace family with anything. There will always be a big brother big sister bond there... and it needs to be there.

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