I once knew a little boy who might have been the most stubborn, aggravating, and frustrating little boy in the world. He was also the most loyal, steadfast, and generous kid you could ever run into. These contradicting qualities could drive you crazy one minute and endear you to him forever the next. This little boy terrorized his big sister often, bless her heart. He had a way of getting under her skin and pushing her to her limits. Most siblings go through periods of squabbling but these two could put most brother/sister teams to shame. Their "high-spirited" activity was notorious and could make any babysitter shake in her boots. And yet you couldn't find two more loyally devoted siblings. That little boy would would do anything for his sister, and did on many an occasion. One time they were playing with knives, (yes knives and yes they knew better but those marble handled Cutco creations just called to them), and the sister of course, had an accident. She sliced open the skin between her thumb and finger. It was a mess, blood was everywhere, and now there was the possibility of getting into some big time trouble. But this pair was not discouraged, they quickly cleaned up the mess bandaged the hand then ran down to the barn to concoct a story that had to do with an old nail and a hay loft. The little brother was concerned because the wound looked pretty bad but he had his sister's back and would go along with it. So they told their lie and escaped the trouble they were dreading. Don't worry the story doesn't end there, they learned their lesson. The hand was taking some time to heal and the parents got to thinking that if the nail was old and rusty then there should be a TETANUS shot. The pair had not taken this into consideration. So off the kiddos went to the Emergency room with their grandmother so that the sister could get her shot and the hand looked at. No one likes shots and the dear girl was no different, but she sat there bravely and decided that there was no going back. The poor brother though was almost in tears as he sat beside her and whispered to her "tell the truth, just tell the truth!!". But that secret they kept between them until they were both in their twenties! But those knives were never played with again.
These kids knew what it meant to stick together and that lesson came in handy throughout their growing up years. Their parents divorced when they were young and just going through all of that brought them closer. I think of that little boy now and how much he was there for his big sister. He was there every Christmas Eve when they were little, camping out in her room listening to old Christmas records and talking about their dreams. He was there for all the games and events she was in, he rarely missed one. He was there the day she graduated from high school, he helped move her to college, he was there for her first broken heart offering words of comfort and a shoulder to cry on. He was there when she was too sick to drive home, he came and got her. He was there when she took a step of independence and went away for a summer he helped her pack her bags, he was there when she graduated college, and also there when she moved away he again helped her move. He was there when she worried about making rent, he loaned her the money, just in case. He was there when she got her first "real" job, he helped her celebrate. He was there when she brought, "the one" home and gave his approval. He was there when she said her vows, and a little over a year later he was there the night his first niece came into the world, ready to take his turn to hold her. He was always there.
Now that little boy is a man, and a good one at that. He has decided to dedicate his life to defending our country and our people. He has become a soldier. I believe this career choice makes sense for him, in a way he has always been a soldier, defending and protecting those that needed it, those he loves, while living his life the best way he knows how. He at this moment is on his way to South Korea for a year, a whole year.
I'm really going to miss my little brother.
