To the outside world we all grow old. But not brothers and sisters.  We know and remember each other as we always were.  We share private family jokes and heartbreaks. We remember family feuds and secrets, family troubles and joys. As time passes that bond becomes even more precious. At least it has with me. My little brother was always very precious to me, even when I wanted to shake him or give him a well deserved kick in the shins. That was allowed, he was my brother and he gave as good as he got. But always the love was there. And always he could make me laugh no matter how difficult things might be or what problems I might be facing. That is still true to this day.

At times I have marvelled at how he deals with life's adversities. Nothing ever really gets him down.  He always finds a silver lining or if he doesn't he keeps it to himself and gets right back up. Neither of us has found life trouble free or easy but we have always known the other was there if or when needed. This was even true as children.

The proof of this makes me laugh even now. I was his elder by two years and supposedly the big sister but a memory comes to mind of the day I was having an argument with another little girl which became particularly heated. My brother was in the yard as well and without warning or sign of intent he suddenly appeared between us and delivered a right hook to my adversary, who was at least a foot taller than he was, which to this day astounds me. It did more than that to my little friend. She ended up with a beautifully hued shiner and he ended up with a warm bottom. His only excuse was "she deserved it, she was picking on Betty." He did apologize to her after the fact (and after the warm bottom and orders from our mother) but ended the apology with a warning that no one treated his sister that way when he was around. He was all of four years old at the time and despite the spanking and lecture utterly unrepentant.

He wasn't an angel, he did love to tease and took great pleasure in inflicting his own brand of harassment at times. Once when I had an arm in a sling as I had cracked an elbow bone when I fell on concrete steps he took great pleasure in repeatedly slipping the sling off when no one was looking  just to hear me yelp. Perhaps that was him getting even for the finger I smashed by closing a store's heavy door with a strong swing mechanism on his hand. I admit he was justified. My arm healed just fine. His nail never did grow back properly.

 When we were six and eight we found we had a new baby sister. We were ecstatic and spread the wonderful news to the entire street within minutes of being told why Mommy was not around. Our father was overseas as it was wartime and that wee girl was the centre of our lives those first few years until Daddy returned home. As the years passed and we grew older she was always our very much loved baby sister but we were older and our interests were different. 

As we grew up family situations dictated that we cemented that bond even further. By the time he was barely sixteen he was living with me, as I had been on my own for a couple of years by then, and our family were thousands of miles away. Some of those days were really difficult for both of us but we had one another always and knew it. When he was old enough and moved away and joined the navy I missed him a very great deal  even though by then I was married and had a wee baby but knew it was what he wanted and as it turned out it was the wisest decision he ever made. He met his wife as a result of that decision and she and their children are the best thing that ever happened to him. My sister in law is surely his soul mate. And quite a lady in my opinion.

These days we live far apart  and aren't in touch as much as I'd like and yet when I pick up the phone I find myself smiling as soon as I hear his voice. As we grow older I often think back and always with  pleasure when those thoughts are of my brother. Time has softened the memories which were painful or worrisome for either of us, and only the love remains. As it shall as long as I live. I lucked out when that wee boy replaced me as the baby of the family and became my best friend for life.

And as I write that I can almost hear him saying .. " for crying out loud.. stop with the hearts and flowers... hey, did you hear the one about .... ? " I just hope that two year advantage in age which life now provides gives him an edge. Now that we are both in our seventies, mortality becomes a reality. I got here first and it's only right and fair he recognize and respect the seniority.

It's been a journey with him I wouldn't have missed for anything. He even made the bumps easier.