Growing up with 3 older brothers, I learned a lot. I never had a sister to go to for advice, for clothes, for friendship, or anything of the sort. For a short period of time, I thought that I wanted a sister more than anything else. That want for a sister came and passed, when I realized how truly valuable and irreplaceable my brothers are to me. Though some people may say that I missed out since I did not have a sister, I don't believe that is true. Having older brothers, ranging from 13 years older to 16 months older has taught me so many things about myself, about my family, and about dealing with the world around me. Though there have been times that I have been teased and forced to go to baseball/football/basketball games, what I have learned from them has made it all worthwhile. Regardless of if they directly taught me these things or if these lessons came indirectly from their actions, they have taught me nonetheless.
1. My brothers taught me to stand up for myself.
Throughout my entire life, I have been a very vocal person. I am confrontational when appropriate, and I like to have my opinion heard. My brothers have been there, listening to my opinions for as long as I can remember. They have never told me to stop giving my opinion; instead, they have encouraged me to continue speaking my mind. When you have a group of people that will actively listen to what you have to stay, no matter how ridiculous, it can do wonders for your ability to believe that you can stand up for what you believe in. This is what I experienced by having my brothers.
2. My brothers taught me to have thick skin, and to never take anyone too seriously.
Though I may have been teased when I was younger, that is a natural part of sibling relationships. These times where I was teased and joked around with by my brothers have ultimately taught me to never take anything seriously. If someone is teasing you, it is obviously because they have something else going on in their lives that they are stressed about. My brothers have taught me that what people say does not matter in the slightest, because what people say never can change who you are. If it does anything, it makes you stronger.
3. My brothers taught me to respect myself and the people around me.
In accordance with the life lesson above, they have also taught me to respect myself. Though being the only girl has made me slightly overprotected, I know that it was all for my own benefit. For my entire life, my brothers wanted to make sure that I knew my worth. My brothers may have teased me, but they made sure I knew that it was all in good fun. They were always there to support me, in everything that I do: all of the dance recitals, theatre productions, graduations, cheerleading competitions, etc. My brothers were always there to cheer me on and to tell me how proud they were of me, no matter what the situation. Over the years, this showed me how many people truly cared about me and what I was doing. It also showed me that what I was doing with my life was somewhat notable and should be celebrated.
4. My brothers taught me to find something you love to do, and to do it as much as you can.
As mentioned earlier, I have been to a countless amount of baseball games, football games, basketball games, tournaments, trips, etc. Watching my brothers for so many years do what they loved, made me interested in pursuing what I loved for as long as I could. They taught me that you sometimes have to make sacrifices to be able to do the things that you love, even if it won't necessarily be your career path. They could not have been more correct in that regard. However, they also said that despite the sacrifices you make, it is worth it. If you are doing something you love, even as a hobby, it will make you feel so much better about yourself and about the life you are living.
5. My brothers taught me to work hard for what you want, even if obstacles get in your way.
I have grown up, looking up to my brothers. I have seen them go through high school, college, career choices, marriage, all the way up to having children. I have seen the best of times and the more difficult times. However, despite difficult times, they always worked hard to push through and to come out on top. Now that I am older and I have had my own fair share of obstacles to overcome in pursuit of a greater future for myself, I can relate to what they went through and use their successes as motivation to keep going.
6. My brothers taught me to be proud of myself and of the family I came from.
Through everything, my brothers have been there for me, for each other, and for the rest of the members of my family. Having three older brothers has taught me so many things about myself and about living my life to its greatest potential. However, the most important thing they taught me was to remember where you came from and be proud of that. Be proud of the family that you have, because it is what defines you. You are where you come from. When my family is able to get all together (which is becoming harder and harder these days), I am able to see how perfect my family is. Though we have our own imperfections and our imperfections as a whole, we somehow manage to seamlessly come together. Each of us has a different quality and strength and weakness that we contribute to the family and they all magically complement each other so well. I could not be prouder and more blessed to be part of my family. I would not trade it for the world.
