Brothers: Conclusion (And Something Else)

I sat out to write a piece on brothers and our relationships. In actuality I think I've just written down some of my memories about my childhood and growing up with a brother. What have I learned?

I have always thanked God for my family, and I still do. We might have argued and bickered some, but there was always the omnipresent love. That love is still there, and that love will always be there.

I enjoyed my childhood tremendously. I have friends that will be friends for a lifetime. I found my wife within a few miles from where I grew up, even. I have a community I will always call home.

In short, my friends and family are cherished, and I feel honored to call them friends and family. This series has been scattered and really more for me than anything else, but I felt the need to do it. It's like my mind flickers from thing to thing so fast that I don't have time to sit down and actually focus and think on past experiences. My typical day for the past four years has been do homework and study mostly, and this leaves little room for thought and reflection.

To be fair to the title, my brother Jake is a great brother. If ever he reads this, I want him to know how much he means to me and how much I respect him. I love my stepbrother, Adam, too, and I also have tremendous respect for him. Thanks for all the good memory's to you.

*****

There you have it. Scattered memory flashes, focusing on my childhood. It's been a thoughtful process for me, and reading back I think my organization is amiss. Oh well. In other news, I went to a concert today, the Sparrow Quartet, a group of two banjos (one of which is played by the world famous Bela Fleck), a cello, and a fiddle (or violin for those of you that are inclined to think that way). The concert left me feeling a bit inspired, as all concerts seem to do, and I really want to grab my mandolin and guitar and start playing, but unfortunately I'll be chained to the table tonight working on homework.