National Brother’s Day is a great excuse to shower your brother with cheesy unconditional love.
I am blessed with two younger siblings; a sister who prefers not to be highlighted online and a brother who begged me to write something about him. He denies that such statements ever occurred, but I have witnesses, and he asked me to write something about him on multiple occasions. Since today is National Brother’s Day, I’m fulfilling my brother’s wish and writing about him.
My little brother, Carlos, is nineteen years old. He is currently a college student with dreams of becoming a general surgeon. He is following in the footsteps of many people in our family by entering the medical field. Despite my aversion to that field of work, he seems to have a genuine interest and growing proficiency.
My first memory of him was when I was about 4 or 5 years old. We were in the back of the car our parents were driving; he was in the car seat, and I sat beside him. I played with his tiny little fingers, and he gripped my index finger. Maybe he didn’t want me messing with his fingers but didn’t want me to leave him alone, or perhaps he was exhibiting the natural baby instinct to grip things. I like to think it’s the former. At first, I was happy he held my finger, but then I was stuck sitting like that for the entire car ride.
I remember my sister and me getting annoyed trying to teach him how to read. I remember foot-fives and dog piles, joining forces to annoy our sister. One of my favorite memories of the three of us also happens in the back seat of a car. We were on our way to a diner with our parents, I think, celebrating my sister’s birthday. The ‘bust down thotiana’ meme was famous at the time, and the three of us had the tune stuck in our heads. My sister received a pink stuffed llama as a gift, and we made it twerk along with the song. We couldn’t stop laughing for the rest of the night.
My brother often annoys me and uses his position as the youngest to get out of chores and other responsibilities. However, he also kills bugs for me, helps fix my car, puts in my air conditioner, and carries heavy or bulky things up the stairs. When I’m sick and completely incapable, he remembers to give me my meds and feed me.
He occasionally helps me with this blog as well. Each post has an associated image, and sometimes making that image is a long process. I get an idea of what I want the image to be, but the picture in my head doesn’t always match the one I create. Stifled by the existing creation, I tend to ask for his opinion on how to improve it or for an idea to replace it. I use his suggestions as inspiration or a starting point for changes.
He believes his contributions have gone unnoticed and without credit. So here is your credit. He has helped me in some capacity with the images associated with the following blog posts.
If you’re reading this, I don’t want to hear ever again that I don’t give you credit for your work.
One thing I undoubtedly gave him credit for is for co-directing my commercial parodies. He did a fantastic job, and without his assistance, I would’ve never been able to complete that project.
I love my brother, and I can’t wait to see what he becomes as he grows older.
I urge anyone with a brother or brother-like figure to call up their brother and tell them you love them. If that’s too cheesy, maybe do whatever you do to show love.