In celebration of my brother...

"To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time." ~ Clara Ortega

There's a full moon in the sky tonight - go check it out if you can. On the full moon in this month Raksha Bandhan is celebrated. It is a day which celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters - and literally stands for 'a bond of protection' - the sister prays that her brother would be protected from evil and the brother promises that he would protect his sister from any harm or trouble.

I tied the rakhi for my brother today. It's a physical representation of a bond that's already very strong. He's younger than me though sometimes acts as though he's older than me. I didn't particularly like him in the very early years. That changed when I ran away from home (yes, I've run away from home - I didn't go very far)... when I returned home what hurt the most was the tears from my brother not the vexation/punishment from my parents. I'd never thought that he'd miss me or be worried just as I'd never thought that hearing him cry for me would be so heart-wrenching. It was... and so from that day on I've tried my best to take care of him. The boy, no matter how big of a man he grows to be, is my baby brother forever and always and I love him.

I used to pick him up from primary school and we'd walk home together.

We had our own secret game - which drove our mom crazy cuz she just didn't get it.

He was 8 when mom was diagnosed with cancer and so when she couldn't manage to take care of him/us I did.

He is exceptionally brilliant at anything that he puts his mind to.

He is my partner in dealing with the parents now... we've got a sort of good cop/bad cop vibe.

When I am peckish he makes me goodies - he's a far better baker than I am.  

Two years ago this weekend, he was in New Jersey and I was in Massachusetts - we took the weekend off and spent it in New York. We stayed at a hostel in Chelsea, stumbled across the Rubin Museum which had an awesome exhibit on mandalas, saw Phantom of the Opera, had dessert at Bryant Park, interesting conversation with a bartender at Von, the best French Toast at a diner, got taken for a ride in one of those bike-carts, and had an overall very fun time together. Precious - because I can't think of a time when it will be just the two of us with nothing to do but have fun.   

Giving thanks for my brother tonight... saying a prayer for his continued well-being... sending love his way always.

Peace,

Ren