Thank you.

Thank you for being my consistent competition throughout our childhood. You gave me an edge; one to compete in the simplest of games. Whether it was playing a simple video game, playing a card game, or running around outside, you never failed to contest me. If I hit five home runs, you'd hit six. If I scored a touchdown on two downs, you'd try to do it from the scrimmage. I could continue endlessly with this, but I'm sure you'd try to find a way to "one-up" me with this too.

Thank you for being my figurative (and sometimes literal) punching bag. You've always been that someone that I can make fun of and get away with it. More often than not, you've done the same to me, but it's understood that it's just our bonding and brotherhood. In a literal sense, there was no telling where or when we were going to fight, but you always acted as a pretty good opponent. I know I was able to get a few good shots in over the years, just as you were able to do to me. They were both necessary.

Thank you for taking any chance you had to get me in trouble. It taught me that not all things are well deserved, especially having been given a bar of soap for saying “ship”, not “shit”. You never failed at trying to get Mom to side with you whenever I accidentally pushed you down or made you cry. Trust me, the majority of the time they were accidents.

Thank you for always being painfully honest with me. Whether or not I needed to hear the truth about something, I knew I could always count on you to give me your opinion. This goes along with how appreciative I am of how comfortable we are around each other. Many siblings struggle getting along, so I’m glad we’ve always been able to do for most of the time. You’ve always been able to strike me with reality and for that, I’ve been able to grow as an individual.

Thank you for understanding me. Being stereotypical guys, we don’t really feel the need to open up to each other emotionally. However, when we do, whether it’s in regard to issues with friends, a girl or just between us, you’re always easy to talk to. We've never really had to explicitly tell each other that we love each other. Like it is for friends, it's implied.

Thank you for being my spitting image and thank you for being my complete opposite. At any given moment on any given day, I can look at you and see me. I mean, it’s really not hard to considering how similar we look. At the same time, though, I can look at you and find a completely different person than myself. Someone with a very different personality and a different mentality. It’s a bit strange being so close with someone who is so alike but different as me. So conflicting, but interesting.

Thank you for looking up to me. Having you as one of my biggest advocates has pushed me to lead by example for you. You've made me feel as though I need to make a solid impression, no matter what the task may be that I’m completing. You've given me quite a purpose as the older sibling.

Thank you for being my inspiration in so many different ways. No matter what time of our lives, I've looked "up" to you just as much as you have to me. I envy you, as I'm sure you do me. It's not jealousy though. Like I said before about you being my competition, it's envy that drives us to compete, not for what each other has, but for something better. Even now, I still look up to you, though that’s partially because you’re an inch and a half taller than me.

Thank you for not only being my brother, but my very best friend.