When your best friends are more like your brothers, the friendship you share reaches a whole different level. Women often have their gal pals; the one’s that can finish off each other’s sentences and know each other’s favorite foods, movies and activities. Well, men have the same relationship with some of their closest friends. We have what we call, “a bro code” or “brotherly bond” and in most cases we act more like blood brothers than just good buddies. It is said that you often keep one to two close friends from High School. These friends last a lifetime. I have four close brothers and we have and will continue to stay connected as we venture on through life.
We meet friends at different stages in life. I met most of my brothers in middle school. A few in sixth grade and one in eighth grade. Our friendship carried on through High School. We had other friends, but none were lucky enough to enter our small niche that we had created. We were different, we didn’t fit into the popular niches at school; instead we created our own. The smart country boys- it had a nice ring to it. The important thing to note is that we, together, made each other who we are. Each one of us had something that the other did not. Something that each person needed. We make each other a better person and we continue to do so.
Upon first meeting your best friend(s), you embark on a lifetime adventure. Whether it be snorkeling in the Keys, acting like kids at Disney World, doing some pickin’ and grinnin’ with that banjo and fiddle, having a nice cold one, staying up all night playing Nazi Zombies or trying not to blow each other up with fireworks at New Year’s Eve, life together is never a dull moment. We take it in stride and enjoy every last minute of it. Through it all, we learn with and from one another, grow with one another and love with one another (brotherly love people). Actually, it’s one of the hardest things to describe. You see, we are there for each other 24/7-just like family- and we would do anything to help a brother out, even die for each other if necessary.
We have been through everything together; the good, the bad and the ugly. We sometimes fight like brothers, but we make-up like brothers at the end of the day. The best part about being brothers is that no matter how far apart we may be or how long we may go without seeing each other, when we get together, which we still do, it’s like we saw each other yesterday. There may be a little catching-up to do, but the bond that we have keeps us connected somehow. The bond transcends into our daily lives, whether we notice it or not, and it makes us human. It gives us a purpose, a sense of belonging and fills our life with joy, happy memories and a story worth telling.
As we moved from High School to college, my brothers and I don’t see each other as often but we still keep in touch and hang out when possible. No matter if one is studying chemical engineering at Georgia Tech, running Reinhardt with a business degree, becoming a professional welder and serving as protector of the realm or serving our great country as a Marine, we are still brothers. We are still learning and growing from one another. I hope each person who reads this has experienced the bonds that I have with their best friends, it makes life worth living. Cody Blackwell, Sky Kight, Taylor Faulring, and Steven Vosika what can I say, “We are great together.” I am blessed beyond measure to call each of you my brothers and I am grateful for the memories and adventures we have shared and the one’s yet to come. Brothers till the very end!
