Saturday, October 20, 2012

Everything I need to know, I learned from my brother

I have been writing this out in my mind for months. I am so humbled and inspired by my family. Specifically, by my brother. My brother rocks. My son bears my brother's middle name. I love my brother so much. I feel selfish calling him mine because how can you have ownership over a person? And he is not selfish. He doesn't call things his. He gives them away freely. He fills your tank of gas when you don't have any money to fill it but he has no idea that you have no money in your bank account. He listens to the voice that says, "Get out of the car and start walking over to your nephew" to be there to help my son when he was hurt before he was even hurt. My brother is kind. My brother is patient. My brother is willing to wait for me to learn my own lessons on my own timing. My brother shows me that it's okay to love a hypocrite. And loving a hypocrite just might help the hypocrite change and affect her eternal salvation. My brother is willing to overlook my pettiness. My brother is able to bear his burdens gently. My brother is able to forgive when I am part of his burden. My brother is a good uncle and a dedicated son. My brother will play catch with me and appreciate all the memories that come with an old leather glove marked DAVIS with a sharpie. My brother is a passionate man. My brother is a hard worker. My brother is a team player. My brother has love that endures and waits and hopes. My brother is full of charity. My brother teaches me without rubbing in the fact that he is my younger brother. My brother teaches me without rubbing in the fact that I have made covenants to follow Someone who it turns out my brother is showing me how to be more like even when I thought I was like Him and that I could somehow show my brother a thing or two. How humiliating. Not humiliating, like getting a wedgie at the drinking fountain from your older sister, but humiliating as in filling me with humility and repentance to see others as God, our father, sees them. My brother is forgiving and mercifully forgetful. My brother is willing to be my brother even though I don't understand all aspects of who he is and yet he constantly reaches out to me even when I haven't had a solid track record of reaching out to him. My brother is handsome. My brother looks like his dad. My brother has a mustache and tattoos and piercings. My brother is attracted to men. Happy half-birthday, brother. Thank God for brothers. I'm so glad I can call you brother. I love you.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

That was so beautiful. You made me cry and wreck my church make up! You're so luck to have amazing sibling!

Ashley said...

Beautiful Post!

Mikey, Randi, and Gracie said...

Can I put a big AMEN at the end of this? Amen. I love him.