It runs through my head several times a day that I do not appreciate my brother as much as I should. Not only was he my best friend growing up, but he taught me most of the things I know today. From him nagging at every little thing that I do, to him being the most compassionate person I know, I would not give my older brother up for anything.
Growing up, my brother and I were what you can call the "aggressive" children. When ever mom and dad looked away, one of us would be attacking the other. I always thought that he was just pushing me around because he had nothing else to do. But, I soon learned that he was teaching me how to be tough and stand up for myself. I was also the whiney kid in the family, so my brother would always tell me to stop being a baby but I would just keep crying. It's typical for a girl to be more emotional than a guy -- that is no secret, but I would cry for hours on end. I learned that growing up with him, he taught me how to suck it up and keep my emotions in check so that I didn't seem like a drama queen.
One of the biggest things I learned when growing up with my brother was competition. Many see competition as being "always having to win," but my brother showed me that being competitive is being a leader and showing what you're passionate for. No matter the time of day, my brother would always tap me into my competitive side and that is how I got to love soccer. Before I could even walk, my brother was kicking around a ball and as I grew up and realized what he was doing I began to do the same thing. Even though I do not play soccer anymore, my brother still does and that shows me his commitment and passion for something he loves and I cannot wait to find that with something I love someday as well.
As soon as I started to mature I found myself getting more interested in boys. As my first boyfriend came along, my brother did not do what I thought he would do. Instead, he had this irritating and displeasing look on his face. As you could imagine, I was terrified. He wanted to make sure I didn't get hurt and I would tell him everyday that I wouldn't until that one day came along where I laid in bed watching Netflix and eating ice cream all day. Even if he told me "I told you so," I knew that he was doing it because he didn't want to see me upset or hurt, therefore I never got mad at him. After this breakup happened, my brother was way more protective of me than he was before. But, as of today, I have an amazing boyfriend that my family and brother love and I know that my brother is happy to know that I found someone that he doesn't need to worry about.
Having an older brother is more than what many think. It's having a best friend that ALWAYS picks you up when you fall. I honestly don't know what I would do without my brother and I am so glad I got to grow up with such an amazing person. Having an older brother is definitely not something easy to deal with, because of the constant fighting and nagging at each other, but I have learned to love my brother for those reasons. With that being said, I would like to let my brother know how important he is to me and how much I appreciate every thing that he does for me. Love you big brother.
