Home on Moraine: Come Together

Louis and Clark.
Orville and Wilbur.
Cain and Abel.
William and Harry.
Brandon and Wynton.

Throughout history, brothers have made a name for themselves by sticking beside each other while accomplishing something wonderful. Sometimes just by being good: good people, good storytellers, good decision-makers - sometimes by thinking in a way no one else does. Whatever gets them there, they didn't do it alone. I can't imagine what the bond between brothers is really like, as I have never been a part of a set of brothers. I can say that my bond with each of my sisters is different, and if put in a position where we had to accomplish something amazing - I don't know that we could do it. Unless, of course, the accomplishment were to find a good deal.

Having said that, I can only assume from experience that the bond between brothers is something untouchable. I can only assume it is a gentle balance. I imagine it is a bond of support and grace. I have never given this kind of relationship much thought until I began raising a set of brothers. Now, I see that brotherhood is...well...a brotherhood. A deeper connection than I can fully understand. Maybe I'm not supposed to. It is the stuff of greatness. I know that for sure. If it wasn't, territories would have never been explored and recorded. Songs wouldn't have been sung. Feats would have never been accomplished. That's just something I cannot imagine.

I hope little and Big get there. With a nine year gap between them, sometimes I worry that they'll never find somewhere to relate aside from having the same parents. Big will be 15 when little just starts school. He'll be in college before little is able to ride a two-wheeler. Something tells me that those nine years won't make them any less connected. I know it won't make them any less brothers. And there is something to that.

For now, I will savor the days where Big asks to hold little. Where little gazes at Big's face and smiles for him, or farts on his lap. For now, I'll be proud when Big changes little's diaper, even though I know he thinks it's the "worst smell ever'. It's no jazz masterpiece, but it absolutely is a masterpiece of family. I'll take that any day.

Spring is coming, we can feel it in the air. D will be posting on all of those changes soon. Until then, we've been around the house this past week. Big had his science fair. He did his project on bird seed. Specifically, which bird seed attracts the most birds. I made Angry Birds out of construction paper for hours on end. That's what being a parent is. Elmer's glue and construction paper. He did wonderful. I am so very proud. I love him.