Little brothers can be pests. They arrive and throw off your world as you know it. When I was three years old, I asked God to send me a little sister who would play dollies with me. I already had two big brothers, so my brother quota was already full. But after I turned four, a baby brother arrived. As he grew, I discovered that he was happy to play dollies with me; in fact, he was happy to do just about anything with me. We worked it out; his Rescue Heroes communicated quite civilly with My Little Ponies, and we both loved playing spies and explorers out in the woods.
Little brothers are annoying. Little brothers destroy things. Little brothers love to bug you. But little brothers are eager to please you if you let them. I was often asked if my little brother was annoying or if I hated watching "Clifford" and "Bob the Builder" all the time. I knew that I had been given a gift in that rascal that never left my side, and I loved being his hero. When you love him at his littlest, most annoying stage, he'll love you for life. I taught my little brother how to ride his bike, now he teaches me about our country's founding (history nerd). I taught him that girls are tough and that boys can learn a lot from us, now he defends women and treats them with respect. I pulled out his splinters, now he brings me crackers and chocolate milk when I'm sick. I held his hand when crossing the street, now he holds my hand when I'm freaking out on a roller coaster. I cheered him on at all of his baseball games, now he attends my concerts, even though they're not his thing. I dealt with him copying my every move and word, now I still deal with him copying me while he claims that I copy him.
The truth is, most people will try to tell you that a little brother is a pest. TV shows, books, comics, relatives, your dog—who knows who's going to tell you to shove that little guy aside next? But in reality, little brothers are a blessing that not everyone gets to experience. Don't push him away; embrace him, and someday when you're dealing with a broken heart, he'll be there to hug you and watch TV shows with you.
My little brother is my best friend and understands me like nobody else will ever get the chance to. We've seen each other go through every stage of life, and can finish each others' sandwiches—sentences. Our conversations are a foreign language to outsiders because we have so many inside jokes. Little brothers can be annoying, but so can big sisters. Little brothers faithfully endure having a bossy extra mother until they finally reach the stage where they are taller and more protective than you are. If you have a little brother, don't miss the opportunity to capture his heart for life while he's little. If you do, you'll have a friend better than you could ever imagine, and who will never leave your side.
