Brotherly Love

My brother has been on my heart a lot lately. Partly because he lives in California and I only get to see him a few times a year. The other part because of something he is going through makes me long to be closer (in proximity) to him. He and I are very close, and we always have been. When we were young, our parents divorced and had joint custody of us. It was a difficult time for the whole family, and we all had to struggle with the changes that seemed to constantly happen around us. I know that my mom did everything she could to make our time together enjoyable...my dad...not so much.  So, Clark and I became pals. We had to. We had to keep each other entertained. Thankfully we got along fairly well and had a lot in common. We would play video games, watch movies, play outside and be goofy together. All those things got us through some very long, would be boring weekends.
Now that we are all grown up, we have spouses, children, and responsibilities, and I find myself looking back on the childhood we experienced. Sometimes even wishing we could do it all over again. Brother and Sister. Side by Side. Trudging through the divorced child syndrome. Together.

He is one of my favorite people in the world and I cherish all the memories we have made, and embrace the ones yet to come.