Thanksgiving just passed and I'm sure we are all stuffed to the point where we think spending money to join a gym is a good idea. Most would say that Thanksgiving is just a reason for people to stuff their faces and whine about things to their families and what not. I see Thanksgiving as another reason to see all my family and be thankful that I have them. But there is one person in my life who I am thankful for every day: my younger brother.
My brother and I have been close since the moment he was born. I look at this kid every day and thank the stars above that he is in my life. My brother is four years younger than me and even when he was little, he was changing lives that I don't even think he knew he was doing. There was one moment in his life that he crossed the line from being my little brother to being my hero. Growing up, it was clear as day that I was different and I was a little overweight and I was bullied about it by the kids I went to school with. One day at lunch, I was told that I was a waste of space and that I was useless and that I should go home and kill myself because no one would even notice. I went home that day and I was going to do just that, I couldn't take it anymore. No one understood what I was going through and I felt so alone and I didn't want to fight it anymore. I had already thought of a way I could hurt myself and I had it all planned.
My brother came home early that day and he came running in the door and up the stairs. It was then I decide that if I was going to go through with ending my own life, I was going to spend one more night with my little brother to let him know how much I loved him. We spent the next few hours playing video games and reading books and even coloring. The night came to an end. He was getting ready for bed and he came out of his room and gave me a hug, then he went to bed. That hug made my whole world stop. I watched him walk off to bed and tears ran down my face; I knew I couldn't go through with ending my life, because someday that little boy might need me like I needed him. So I climbed into bed that night and I woke up the next morning and kept fighting.
I was about 16 when that happened. I'm about to be 25 years old and I'm thankful every day I spent that one night with my brother. If I had gone through with what I was planning, I would have missed so much in life and I wouldn't have gotten the chance to grow into the person I am today. My brother gave me a reason to fight and stand up to everyone that was making my life hell; he gave me a reason to stand up and fight for things I believe in. He gave me the chance to meet my boyfriend, Joe, and fall in love and start a life of my own with him. He also gave me the hope to go college and study something I love. My brother is now 21 years old and he isn't so little anymore, but every day when I look at him I will always see my little brother and the little brother who became a hero without even knowing it. I would die to protect this kid, every day he gives me a reason to push forward — no matter what happens this world could never tear us apart. I'm thankful for him more and more every day.
