My First Friend

Today is my brothers birthday.

Ordinarily I’d write a heartfelt message on Instagram and/or Facebook extolling his many virtues, sharing memories and generally boasting about what an awesome guy he is.

And he genuinely is… awesome I mean. It’s not blood-tie fueled hyperbole lived through sibling tinted glasses. He’s very special.

But he’s also human.

Our relationship isn’t perfect and it’s something that’s caused me a great deal of discomfort and pain at various points but for the first time in my life, I have come to the realisation that I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Why? Because our friendship (or lack there of in the past) has made me stronger and more astute than I believe I would have been without him.

There are things about my life that only he will understand because of our shared history. He’s the one who taught me how to ride a bicycle with the training wheels off. He taught me how to play badminton and gave me piggy back rides when our nonchalent child minder walked us for miles and my prepubescent legs couldn’t take it anymore.

He helped me hone my trash talk and beat em’ up button bashing skills. He listens to my sporadic rants, sends me articles to educate or amuse me (sometimes both), bails me out when I’m in trouble and raises my cool awesome levels simply by association alone.

He’s intelligent, stylish, handsome, witty, adventurous and generous (feel free to stalk his Instagram @pointyp to corroborate my claims). He’s a people’s person and will ride or die for any of his loved ones. Quite frankly, he’s the best gift my parents have ever given me.

I love him more than he will ever know and I hope one day I am able to repay him for all that he’s done for me. Having said that, this small gesture will have to suffice for now.

Happy Birthday Big Bro.

Love from,
Your Little Sis