I can’t visit the city of Atlanta without my daughters wanting to visit their Uncle Bryce’s home to connect with their cousins. I find joy in seeing how genuinely close our children are despite the distance we share in living in two different cities. I found a new sense of gratitude on one of my random hike and trail adventures in his neck of the woods to have my brother join me in exploration. It can be a challenge in adult sibling relationships to stay authentically close in living a distance in juggling work, relationships, kids, and other things to connect with anyone beyond viewing each other’s lives through their social media. My brother and I have grown to be closer, and it may be thanks to our own children who have been influential in reviving our connection as siblings.
To The Mountain Top
I decided to stop by my brother’s home following dropping our mom back to her home there in the city, so the girl cousins could visit together since both of our sons were with their other sides of the family. I love a good trail anywhere, and I asked my brother if there was good one near by. My brother shared that Kennesaw Mountain was the closest to him. My natural instinct was let’s go! Our daughters with the exception of his toddler joined us in my compact car excitedly since none of us had ever been to the mountain including him. It brought back so many memories of the two of us from our childhood riding in the car with our beloved Grandfather heading down the backwoods of Burke County, Georgia. Our older girls finally put their phones down to see the beauty of the majestic mountain terrain, and our younger girls threw on shades to look cool in the backseat. We trecked the nearest trail we saw closest to the parking lot since four of the girls decided to dress in cutesy fashion to take them on the hike. We some how managed to be on the most rugged up hill trail ever full of rocks, but we made it ( Following a few catch your breath stops from me ironically and my oldest daughter) thrilled snapping pics after we finally made it to the top.
The Bigger Picture
My brother and I were very close growing up especially only being a little over a year apart, but as we got older in trying to start over separate lives we grew apart. My brother technically by default was my first bestfriend from childhood even though we teased one another mercilessly. Bam, life throws in college, careers, kids, marriages, and divorces so we would see each other the usual holiday season. We’ve had our adult disagreements in grievances, but our children remained closely infatuated with each other keeping us together beyond any petty annoyance of sibling issues. It wasn’t in the plans in my life’s timing with recent events, but it did work out for my brother’s and I relationships to grow closer in coping through a long distance separation for my children and I to have my brother by our side. He can occasionally to me be my “Knuckle Head” little brother, but to my kids he’s one of their coolest uncles who engages with them fully. Never question God’s divine timing in making things right during the right time in your life. There’s no bigger mountain than the endurance of a family who loves one another through it all.
Purpose Filled Mommy with Minimarie 