Writing Blog: What do you think is the best part of having siblings? What is the hardest? What is the greatest gift they have given you?

             I have ten siblings. The majority are older than me, and we don’t talk much. Except for Randy and I, we could spend hours upon hours talking about nothing. When I think of siblings, his face flashes across my mind. When I need someone to talk to, my phone is already ringing, with him on the line. I think of all the adventures we’ve been on, and all the rolled ice cream we ate. I think of him poking fun at the melted chocolate ice-cream running down my chin, asking me if I knew where my mouth was.

        The best part of having Randy as a sibling is that he cares for me, without fail. Even when we are far from each other, I know he cares. Writing me letters and sending me books to authenticate his dedication to being present in my life. I never even sat to question if he cared or not, because without a second thought I know he does. Whether through his actions or his words. Not ever has he been so fruitless with his words. He always finds the most beautiful ways to tell me how much he cares. He often tells me that I am a gift to him, a gem. His actions, just as graceful as his words, always taking my words into consideration, getting the most thoughtful of gifts. Randy is simply good at making the people around him feel good, and worthy. If I could go back in time, I would make sure he had a person just as wonderful as him growing up.

        The hardest part is our proximity. There’s always a little part of me that hopes when I pick up the phone, he’ll tell me to come to my front door. He’d give me a big hug and we would go to my room, and I’d catch up with him on all the awards he’d missed and all the new books I got while he was away. We’d spend hours talking to each other while I taught him how to crochet. Then when it was time for him to leave, he’d walk out the door and do it all over again, days to come. As lovely as that would be, we can do that over the phone for now. It makes me sad sometimes, to think that I might not see him for 5 years at a time, but he made me promise him never to entertain the idea that he would leave and never come back. 

        The greatest gift he has given me is patience. Randy is the most patient person I’ve ever met. He has never unveiled his anger to me, even if he might’ve wanted to. Unlike the men of our childhood, Randy is always so conscious of the world that surrounds him, he knows when to act and when to wait patiently and listen. Randy motivates me to do the same for my younger brothers, Sebastian, and Paolo. I want to be that model for them. I want to be that sibling for them, the one who cares and will listen to all the trials of childhood. I want them to talk to me about boring math assignments, bullies, and their newly found passions, like I do with Randy. I want them never to question my love for them, and never be afraid that I might get angry. I want to be there for them, as Randy is there for me.