Growing up as the middle child (well, technically only by four minutes), I am certainly the easiest target. Whether it’s blasting More Life at 2 AM, (side note: I am the lightest sleeper) yelling at the TV during sporting events, incorrectly imitating me (major pet peeve of mine) or just simply annoying me, my brothers do it all. Blessed with a big brother and a twin brother, I have dealt with sleeping on the cot in hotel rooms, sitting in the middle seat on airplanes, and only watching sports. Granting all this, I would not be the individual I am today without my brothers.
I am beyond lucky to have two brothers; I would not have it any other way. My childhood comprised of watching WWE on school nights, practicing wrestling moves, and learning about the Knicks offensive system. I would follow my brothers' interests and hobbies to the tee. For example, my older brother played tennis so I started playing tennis; one Halloween, my twin dressed as a Power Ranger so I decided to dress like a Power Ranger, too. Not only did I copy my brothers, but also crash their play dates to play some classic Nintendo 64. While I still maintained my girly girl ways, I knew these childhood experiences would mold my personality whether I liked it or not.
My brothers and I are similar but different; my older brother, or the business savvy one, epitomizes the most ambitious person I know. Unquestionably the strongest Knicks fan I know, my older brother has always guided me and my twin brother in the right direction. If it wasn’t for my older brother’s New York Knicks fanaticism, I would not be a Knicks fan at all. As the future NYK Head Coach, my older bro never fails to solve any of my career or personal problems. With his endless support, he has taught me about respect, humanity, and drive. Regardless of his workload, he will always read my essays (no matter how boring they are) giving valuable feedback as he is an incredible writer.
In retrospect, my twin brother, or the black sheep of our family, embodies spontaneity. You know the quote, “It’s all about the journey, not the destination,” well, that’s my twin in a nutshell. We could not be more different. He lacks time management, I am always on time; he is a night owl, I go to sleep fairly early. A teacher once said to me, “The two of you are like night and day.” These differences, though, influence our twin bond. I’ll be the first to admit that I am not the most patient person, but with a twin like mine, I am forced to tweak this trait to become less stubborn and more breezy. His cool, calm, and collected persona propels me to stop worrying about the miniscule things in life and instead look at the glass half full.
After all, what would my childhood look like without my two brothers? Nonexistent. As my bodyguards, role-models, biggest supporters, and most importantly my blood, my brothers will always have my back. I wouldn’t trade the laughs, fights, wrestles or impersonations with anyone else. Even though you can’t choose your siblings, you can choose to embrace the way they have shaped and molded you over the years. #BHForMyBros
