We Know Each Other’s Hearts

“To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other’s hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time. “
- Clara Ortega

Memory # 4: Non-specificness

During the hardest time of my life, Stephen and I became extremely close. There were days when he would just hold me while I cried, and hold my hand in silence.  He was my avenger, he faced my own personal demons with me, and protected me as much as possible. There were days at work where the smallest thing would make me burst into tears. My brother would gladly cover my job and his while I ran to the bathroom to have a good cry and come back. He never complained, never acted irritated, and was always willing to do whatever it took to make me ok again. He listened even when I didn’t want to talk to anyone, and cheered me on even through the dark storm. Those times, while extremely hard and heartbreaking, I would not trade for the world. Those were the times that changed me, and that made us best friends. I will always love him for loving me, and standing beside me, and often in front of me, in the face of the storm.

From Enemies to Friends

(see the cute Scottish kids??? and Oh my word those are RED tights!)

“I don’t believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at.”

~Maya Angelou

Memory # 3: From enemies to friends.

The gap that had closed in when we were younger split wide open at 9 and 14. Our worlds couldn’t have been further apart, and we couldn’t have spent less time together. I was upset because Stephen was grown up all of a sudden, and so we spent the next few years ignoring each other. Most of it was my fault, and I was the younger one, and our worlds were very different. When I was 14 and he was 19 we had a nice long talk, and I told him basically to stop being so nice to me. My main complaint was that I saw other brothers picking on their little sisters (lovingly) and I wanted that same treatment. My parents had done a good job of raising a gentleman and I decided it was my job to rough out some of those polished edges. He gladly obliged and promptly threw something at me. That was the turning point in our relationship. We were suddenly more than brother and sister, we were…friends?

My best friend and brother

My dearest brother-friend is gone on a missions trip, and I miss him so much! This week I will be doing a post everyday about a memory I have of him.

Memory #1

Stephen and I were 5 years apart. This gap was huge when we were very little, but around 4 and 9 things evened out. He was always willing to play dress up with me. He was the Robin Hood to my Maid Marion, the Prince Charming to my Princess (see above picture and feel free to say awww ), a fellow pirate, soldier, and traveler of the imagination. We had this favorite game where we were deep in a pit of…something, and we had to jump from object to object trying to stay afloat, while dodging insane creatures. We jumped around from couch to chairs, pretending that we were clinging to giant pickles, hot dogs, oreos, you name it. We were crazy kids, and we were so happy to be friends.