I haven't lived with my brother for a little over two years now. It's been weird and quite a change but we all grow up don't we? Things change. As my brother and I have both gotten older, we've matured, we're settling into our new lives and are becoming adults. Although growing up is good, I miss my brother and the times we had together as kids and I wish some days we could have that back. There are so many things I wish we could talk to each other about still, and there are so many times when I wish he was around. So here's to you brother, an open letter for all the thing's I don't really get to say.

Dear brother,

Even though we are not blood-related, that couldn't change how much we love each other. I know we were both adopted and each has birth families of our own, but that doesn't matter. Mom and Dad brought us together into a family, and I'm so happy they did. I could not imagine having a better brother than you. I'm glad you have your own family and are growing up, and continue to learn how to be a wonderful husband and father. You've produced some cute little kids and I love them both. I also know how much you love your wife, and that makes me happy. I'm jealous they get you all to themselves and I don't get to spend much time with you anymore. However, even though we don't see each other, I think we will always have an underlying brother and sister bond.

As kids, we were pretty mean to each other. You'd pick on me, and I'd go tell on you. You'd hold my bear hostage and I would freak out. You would tickle me and even when I begged for mercy you didn't care. I'd punch you in the groin and I didn't care. We had a weird relationship. We did have our fun times, though. We would play guitar hero like our lives depended on it. We would challenge each other to battle and I would try my best to beat you. I always wanted to be as good as you at video games, or even better. I'd try to make you hang out with me even when you didn't want to. I'd always try to invade your space when you had friends over because I thought that meant I would be "cool" too.

Naturally, we grew a little apart time and time again. It didn't mean we cared about each other any less... life was just changing. You began a new life with a family of your own, and I was still at home and trying to finish high school. We didn't see much of each other. I felt like such a baby that I was still in high school and having all these teenage problems, while you were an adult and doing all these adult things I didn't understand. I got to watch you grow and I'm sad I didn't get to grow with you. I thought we would hang out all the time, so it was weird when I discovered it wasn't going to be the same ever again. Until one day.

Recently the annual fair had come up and we took your daughter. It was strange being on the other side. I felt weird being the supervisor and having to not be the kid at the fair whining to go see everything. It gave me a peek into what you have to do every day. You took care of your daughter and when she got too scared on a ride, you comforted her like our parents did to us when we were kids. However even though you were being an adult the whole time, the brother I knew was still in there, the one from our childhood. We made jokes like we used to, and I made you laugh a few times like I did when we were kids. It was nice to know I still had a brother, and that you really didn't change, life did. That day at the fair really meant a lot to me.

For a while, I didn't really feel like I had a brother. We lived in different towns and had different responsibilities and it didn't help that I had moved to a different state for college for most of the year. I felt like it was just me and mom against the world. After that day at the Fair, it felt like I still had you and that I didn't lose you like I thought I had.

So even though mom, me, dad, and you all live very different lives now, I'll always remember the times we had and cherish them. I'll remember our family trips and you being by my side to complain about how annoying the road trip was going. I'll remember playing guitar hero and endlessly trying to beat "through the fire and flames," I'll remember all the times we hung out and just watched movies together. Most especially, I'll always remember that day at the fair, the day I was reminded that you never left and that you'll always be here.