“Brothers are like streetlights along the road; they don’t make distance any shorter but they light up the path and make the walk worthwhile”.
I am the baby of six children. Here is a picture of my siblings and I taken a few years back.
Although we can’t be together this holiday season, I am grateful that I still have all of my siblings in my life, even if we can’t physically be together this year…. but today is about brothers……
The Role of My Brothers In My Life
Today while reflecting on this brother’s quote, I was reminded of the role that all of my brothers played in my life as a child. Oh how I looked up to them! They loved me so much and I knew it. I was their baby sister with blond hair, blue eyes and rosy cheeks.
Here is a picture of me when I was little with my sister Stephanie. It is not very good as I had to try and blow it up. Unfortunately, I lost my lifetime of pictures due to water damage which is why I always tell everyone put your pictures in a digital format so you have them always and for the next generation and the ones after that.
Anyhow, here is the picture:
A lot of people say a girl’s first male relationship is being Daddy’s girl but I think because of the age gap between my parents and I (being a late life baby) and having these older siblings, my brothers were my first and they all were!
I loved and do love them all dearly!
A Trip Down Memory Lane
Wally
I remember one time my oldest brother Wally bringing me a brown pencil case with a brand new package of pencil crayons. I can see them as clear as day right now and it was a moment I will never forget. I think I still cherish those pencil crayons to this day and think of them whenever I see a pencil crayon.
Wally traveled the world for his work and he was so interesting to me because of it. He was also a part of why I was able to spend a month in Ireland when I was 13. This was such an amazing experience for this small town girl who graduated from a one room school.
Wally is a entrepreneur like me and I admire his wisdom and guidance.
John
My brother John and I were very close too. We shared a love of cheeseburgers for lunch on cold winter’s days and he would always give me all of his change. That was so exciting . He would save it up and then I would get it and count it out like it was gold. Of course there was a catch. I’d have to get him a cup of tea or coffee whenever he would rattle his cup on the table. lol But I didn’t mind I loved him and I love doing it!
In later years John and I became roommates as adults and that is a time I will always cherish. Wow. I just realized that last night I dreamt about that little basement apartment we shared! They had made all these great changes to the unit in my dream and I wanted to tell him about them. I often dream about that apartment.
If you know John, you know that he is the historian in the family. I don’t think any of us have met a person who can remember details and dates as well as he can. 🙂
Ed or Eddie Bear
Brother Ed and I are the closest in age in the all the siblings. He is next up to me. Because of that I remember being the one to rat him out on things to my parents.
Sorry Ed I regret that 🙂
Eddie or ‘Eddie Bear’ as we fondly called him is the one who reminds me most of my own childlike wonder for life. Eddie has this huge heart and is passionate about life and family. He is the one who feverishly worked at keeping the magic in my childhood for as long as possible, and for that I am forever grateful.
Ed is also the one who today, spends a lot of time with my own daughter and we fondly refer to him as “Silly Uncle Ed”. He is so much fun and has such a JOY for life and it shows.
I love all of my sisters and brothers dearly.
It was so nice today to do a tribute to my brothers. I love you all. I am grateful that it was all of you for your role as my big brothers and I truly wouldn’t change a thing.
Of course I am bawling my eyes out right now but this is good.
And thank you to all of my siblings for being in my life and just so you know my favorite story is always the one about when I was born and brought home. … about how Mom came on the bus to Kashabowie with me, and you walked me around the lake because it wasn’t thawed yet and we couldn’t walk on the lake or take a boat, and laid me on Mom’s bed when you brought me home. The little girl in me loves that story..
Some Pictures
Some pictures to enJOY! Unfortunately I don’t have many of Uncle John.
Wally and Eddie this September while we enJOYed our annual trout fishing weekend. Now I could write a whole blog post about this tradition and what it means to us at a deep level, but that is for another time. 🙂
Well I will close this chapter in memory lane for now and I hope that each and every one of you reading this takes the time to appreciate those that you love.
Even in my own life and upbringing times were not easy, but I choose to remember the things that bring a smile to my heart and I hope that you too can find that place inside yourself to cherish the moments that matter to you and to love the people who were just doing their best with what they knew … cause that is all of us my friends… we are all just walking each other home….
With Love,
Maggie aka Margaret Mary 🙂
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