Growing up with brothers is hard. Growing up being the youngest child and the only girl is even harder. While I did have the disadvantage when it came to throwing toys at each other or wrestling, I can confidently say I am the most favored child. My mom, who I know is reading this, will disagree; but my brothers and I know the truth. Neither of my parents really played to this favoritism, but it did save me from getting my butt kicked by my brothers on more than one occasion.
My brothers may put up a tough and sarcastic front to me, but I know they genuinely care for me. My oldest brother, Kyle (25), has the sweetest soul. He would never admit to it, but deep down he means well. My middle brother, Kevin (23), would fight someone in a heartbeat for me. He isn’t a tough or even super strong guy, but he always looks out for me.
Growing up with brothers has more perks than just having built in bodyguards. They have taught me so much without even knowing it. Kyle has taught me how to genuinely not give a single care as to what people think of me. He is unapologetically his sarcastic self. Kevin taught me to reach for goals that may seem scary. He recently packed up and moved to a different state, then packed up again and moved to another state. This shows me that leaving may be hard, but there are way bigger things out there to go discover.
Having no choice but to stand up for myself when they were ganging up on me, I learned how to put roots down and be strong when I needed it most. I’ve learned that when I egg on a situation, I need to take whatever outcome is coming my way. They’ve taught me to love with all my heart, even if it ultimately leads to a heartbreak. My brothers have taught me to show people the real me and own it.
Minus a few black eyes, some stitches in my forehead and a lot of hurt feelings over the years; my brothers have been nothing but an absolute blessing. I give my parents so much credit for raising and dealing with Kyle, Kevin, and myself. I’ve always said I wanted a sister, but I wouldn’t change who I have for anything in the world.
HCXO, Laura