For as long as anyone in my family can remember my brother and I have fought. Actually, let me add to that; we've fought over which of us is the big brother and which is the little one. He's stood up for me in every situation imaginable, and from time to time I've helped him out. That might mean giving him a floor to sleep on, or a sick bowl, or answering the phone at 4am to quote a favourite TV show at each other.
We're lucky really. My family is built on the premise that "family" is a static, unchanging, and very forgiving premise. I might not talk to him for a month, but there's never a grudge, we just slot back into our roles as helper or helpee as needed. In two days time we finally get round to running our half marathon. This morning my brother tweeted me to remind me of something that we shared about 6 years ago:
When I moved to Uni for the first time my brother and I were separated by distance, teenage angst, and a matching set of depressive phases as wide as the Atlantic. One of the CDs I took with me was Coldplay's X&Y, which I listened to on repeat as I slid into the home-sickness and loneliness that defined my first 6 months of Uni life. Knowing my brother was having all of the difficulties I was, but not knowing what to do about it, I emailed him the mp3 of the song mentioned in his tweets and in our respective bedrooms we listened to it and felt better.
Things have changed, we've both grown immeasurably and changed in a million ways, but it took less than a second for me to know exactly what he was talking about. However much it hurts we'll be finishing this run together, in aid of a charity we both believe in, and knowing that we have raised over £700 in support.
3 comments and responses:
10% over your target dude. Well done! Now all you have to do is run it.
Dinner on me next week if you both finish!
I don't think I can argue at that sort of deal! Hopefully we'll be able to take you up on it!
That's very sweet. I wish my sisters and I could have a relationship like that.
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