Dear Brother {31 Days of Letters}

Dear Tim,

Last time I checked, we were driving around the front yard in trash can cars and making capes out of towels. Wasn’t it yesterday that there were cardboard forts on the patio and a very exuberant Golden Retriever waiting for us by the trampoline?

Since when did we grow up? You’re living on the opposite side of the country and in grad school. I’m married. It couldn’t possibly be two years since we were making a game out of killing the copious amounts of crickets in our apartment (I won!).

newborn — It doesn’t seem possible that this was 25 1/2 years ago.

The swiftness with which time moves forward frightens me sometimes. If the past twenty-five years of our lives together could skip by as quickly as they did, I can’t imagine how the next twenty-five will progress. Honestly, I’m a bit anxious about facing the changes those years are sure to hold.

Over the years, we went from small rivals to partners in crime to friends, and I am thankful everyday that we are more than just siblings. Over the years, we lived with parents, went to college, shared an apartment, and moved to two new states. I am grateful for all the time we got to spend in close proximity to one another.

The reality of the new seasons in both our lives knocked the wind out of me a little this weekend. Mom and I were trying to figure out options for celebrating Christmas together and I realized just how different everything is. We have progressed from sharing a bathroom to seeing each other a few times a year with calls in between. It seems like the transition happened overnight.

If mom and Uncle Jim are any indication, I know we will still maintain a close, special relationship. I am grateful for the example of what joy can come from this new sibling season. I think I’m just stunned at how quickly a new season can show up.

I’m looking forward to the years to come, with fun-filled and laughter infused reunions. Maybe introducing our kids to Hiss and the gang together…

I love you so much, my brother! I pray that God continues to grow us closer together and closer to Him in the next twenty-five years.