Throughout the last few years, I have gone through many different milestones that have shaped who I am today. Moving in, starting classes, making new friends, all the things college students do. So much has been happening in my own life I forgot other people I love were also experiencing new things.
This year it hit me a little harder that my brother is growing up. He started his junior year of high school, passed his driver’s test, went to his first homecoming, and got his first girlfriend. All of which I was not present for.
I heard about the big things he was going through via pictures, text messages, and phone calls.
These things were very difficult for me to miss out on because he was there when I went through all these big experiences. He was in the car when I first got behind the wheel and rolled his eyes as I was getting homecoming pictures with my friends. Even if he didn’t want to be, he was there for me, and I feel really guilty that I can’t do the same for him.
When we were kids, my brother and I used to fight a lot, and I mean A LOT. Fist fights and screaming matches were a daily occurrence in my household, but at the end of the day, we would make up and play catch in the backyard or watch our favorite Disney movie.
Now that he is a little more grown up, he looks to me for advice. This is something I honestly never thought would happen. I helped him decide how to ask his girlfriend to homecoming and he asked me if I thought the necklace he picked out for cute. Recently, he asked me if when he goes to college, he will have to ask the professor to go to the bathroom. A silly question, yes, but it still made me feel like I am being a good older sister.
The most shocking part of all of this, I think he might be turning out to be a good person. He cares about others and would do almost anything for those he loves. In some ways, he is even better than me. He knows how to stand up for himself and even say no when he doesn’t want to do something, which I really need to work on. Maybe he will give me some advice this time.
As I have gotten older, I realized no one is really there for you like your siblings are. He is the only other person on this planet who grew up the same way I did. There are so many things we experienced that will bond us for the rest of our lives.
So, even though I hate my brother, I still love him.