The day my brother turned 11 was an infamous one in my memory. I was away at school at the time and wasn’t able to make it home, but of course I sent him a kick-butt card, which I will detail later. On the eve of his birthday I called the little punk to wish him, ya know, a happy birthday, and I will never forget the words that he said to me.
He told me he was a 'tween, now. Therefore, he would be a completely different person. I couldn’t believe the wisdom and insight my little twerp of a brother had just shown me with this simple phrase.
A 'tween? Could this really be true? My little hooligan of a brother was an in-between-teen? After hearing this from Andrew and being utterly amused and shocked, I asked him this: "What do you think makes you a tween?" Without barely a moment of hesitation he responded that he needed to start acting like he was going into middle school and stop acting like he was going into elementary. Along with his actions, he would also have to dress differently and start wearing his hair in a different style. I couldn’t stop laughing.
The first thought that came to my mind was, Psh! Yeah, right! As if he was going to start acting mature and accountable! If I know my little brother at all, I know he won’t ever lose his silly childishness. Or his annoying stubbornness, for that matter. It would take a major shift in not only life style, but his fundamental personality for him to become the mature middle schooler he was claiming he would become. But I soon stopped laughing and heard the rest of what he had to say in regards to his thoughts on entering middle school in the fall.
He told me that, above all, he was super excited. Excited to have different teachers and a big new school building, excited to ride the bus, excited for band and choir and sports and mostly excited to meet all his new classmates. Now, this, I fully believed and highly encouraged.
Andrew showed such intention in his words. He had a genuine enthusiasm for all the new ventures he would be taking on in his life in the coming year. And you know what? In that moment I was one very happy, very proud big sister.
I had written him a letter a few days prior and he ended up receiving it the day after his birthday (figures), and in this letter I detailed much of what Andrew discussed with me the night of his birthday. I wrote to him that middle school was drastically different and much better than elementary school (he’d been pretty fed up with school by the end of his fifth grade year, but who isn’t?). He would have more freedom, more friends and more opportunities to get involved and try things. I told him he had to be in band and choir (like I was at his age) and try every sport he possibly could and to work hard in his classes. If he didn’t like some of these things, middle school would be the time to find that out.
I told him keeping an open mind would give him the opportunity to figure out time management and be ready for anything once high school rolled around (which is much sooner than it seems oh my gosh). But, most importantly, I told him not to worry, and to enjoy the new experiences that come with a new school and new people. Live in the now and don’t dwell on the past. New school, new you.
He still has this letter, and we frequently have conversations about his upcoming new life. We discuss the pros and cons of different instruments to play, clothes to buy and languages to learn. My brother becoming a 'tween has, in all honesty, brought us closer together even if it’s just a tiny little microscopic smidgeon. We are closer nonetheless. And I am very grateful for this.
Andrew, I cannot wait to see what you do with your life now that you are a full-blown 'tween. You are going to make all the best friends, all the best memories and I have no doubt you will become that mature and accountable person you want to be. Never stop striving to make things better, always give everything your best and always be the best version of you that you can be.
Love,
Your lame older sister (who hates to admit it sometimes but does love you) Abby.
