Being the youngest of three children, I had to watch both my older sister and my older brother go through their teenage life. I never thought that I would ever be close with either of my siblings. I was always a loner, while my sister and my brother always hung out and were always together like a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich. It was not until last year when I realized how important my siblings were to me, especially my older brother.
In January of 2005, my 22 year-old brother decided to go into the United States Marine Corps, and announced he was leaving in March for basic training in San Diego, California. We always fought, as siblings do, and said that we hated each other and we could not wait to get away from each other. But as March drew closer and closer everyday, my brother and I became very close, almost inseparable. He became more and more protective of me and he seemed to butt into my life. We would have older brother to younger sister talks and lectures and our arguments became fewer and fewer. We were actually getting closer and bonding with each other, something I thought would NEVER happen, at least not in this lifetime. It hit me hard at our last talk before he left when I realized that he was not going to be around to protect me and help me make the right decisions. I realized that I could no longer depend on him and that I had to take care of myself. He gave me a promise bracelet and made me promise him that I would behave and not let anybody hurt me; he told me how much he loved me and how much he was going to miss me. After that, I realized how much I was going to miss him and how much I wanted him in my life.
March came and my brother left for San Diego. He was gone for sixteen weeks doing his basic training and becoming one of the many men and women protecting our great country. After he left, I was extremely cheerless. I had never cried as much as I did when he left home. My pillows were so soaked; I could have rung out buckets and buckets of my own tears. However, I knew that in sixteen weeks, we would be going to California to see my brother. He’d be transformed from a bum living in his mother’s house working with his dad into a proud United States Marine. It was exciting to be able to see my big brother after so long. His many letters came talking about his “war stories,” and I knew in every letter he’d be asking about me. I cried every time I would read his letters. Very few phone calls were made home from him, and they had to be really short and sweet, but I’d lean in really close to the phone while my mom was talking, just to hear the sound of his voice. Hearing it was like my serenity and it helped me get by everyday.
Sixteen weeks passed, faster than anybody thought. The day after school got out for summer vacation, I was on my first plane ride on my first trip to California to see my big Marine brother. My mom, my dad, and I arrived a few hours later in a new and exciting state. It would still be a day until I got to see my new and improved older brother, but that would give us plenty of time to prepare to see him.
My brother’s basic training graduation came and every Marine’s family was there to watch their boys transformed into men. I watched in awe as all the Marines marched from one side of the base to the other passing the stadium everybody was sitting at. They were all in cadence, in step with each other, and their march was done with so much pride and perfection. We got a few days to spend with my brother afterward in California. We went to the beach and watched the sunset; Sea World to see all the amazing creatures; and of course we did as much shopping as we could. After spending a week in California, we all came back home, including my brother.
Even though my new Marine brother was only home for a week, it was just nice to have him back in the house. It was like he never even left, except for the fact that he had some manners. He and I were closer than we were when he left. He seemed more interested in my life and what I was doing with it and all my goals for my future. We fought and wrestled with each other like old times and we had our extremely long brother to sister talks that I treasured more than I would admit. The week he was home went by really fast and then he was off to North Carolina for more school and more training.
After North Carolina, my brother got to come home again, but it went by way too fast. He came home for Christmas and New Years. It would be the last time we got to see him before he left for Iraq at the end of February. He would be gone for seven months and we knew that we wouldn’t be able to keep in contact as much so we really cherished the time we had together.
He’s currently serving the last month of his tour in Iraq. The past seven months has really been hard without him, however he is my inspiration and I have more courage because of what he has showed me. I live my life everyday with him in my heart and I never stop thinking if he’s ok or when I’ll hear from him next. I don’t get to talk to him on the phone at all, but every once in a blue moon, he gets the chance to email me. We are all counting down the days until he comes stateside where he’ll be safe and we can keep in contact better.
We become closer and closer every time he comes home from wherever he has been and I cherish every moment that we get to actually sit down and talk. I guess that it just took me a long time to realize how much potential our relationship has. My big brother is my inspiration and I love him more than anything in the world. He has really taught me a lot about living life and not taking anything for granted. By listening to him and taking his advice, I have been able to take care of myself and do good in school as well as mature and grow independent. It just took him leaving and becoming a man for me to realize that he could really change me and the way I live my life. No matter what happens in this world, no matter who walks in and out of my life, or who hurts me or makes me happy, I will always have my brother by my side to protect me and guide me through thick and thin.