A Tear-Jerker for Erin

This blog started out an entirely different way. It started out about my idea for reading a book a week. It then turned in to talking about the book I started last night and it's themes on travel. However, as I have begun to write, it has come down to this. I hope it makes at least a grain of sense.

Last night, I started reading Three Weeks with my Brother by Nicholas Sparks. Now, I am not a mushy gushy reader so I am usually not drawn to books by Sparks. However, as soon as Erin told me the premise of the book, I was immediately intrigued. I have not looked forward to reading a book as much as I have anticipated this one. It is a memoir about two brothers who go on a three week trip around the world. Anyone who knows me and my desire to travel can see exactly what initially drew me to this book. Yet, I find myself anxious to read it for another obvious reason. It is about brothers.

There is something about a sibling that plucks the strings of my heart. Seeing how I have the best there is, I can only feel my heart swell at the thought of siblings. One things that I have enjoyed about moving to 1st grade is seeing the older siblings take on the protector role of those I spend my days with. On the rare occasion, I get to see my little ones play the role of big sibling. My heart melts when I see brothers and sisters loving on each other.

I absolutely treasure the relationship I have with my Erin. She knows the story behind every victory and fear that has molded my life. She can tell by looking at me exactly what my mood is even when I can hide it from others. She can laugh with me, cry with me, and get away with telling me things that no one else ever could. She can vocalize my fears when I cannot bring myself to say them aloud and then offer not to look at me when I need to cry it out. She understands all of the associations that run through my mind in certain circumstances or with specific words. She will sit on the floor with me, dog tired, and listen to me tell her things that I have probably already said three times before because she knows that I just need to talk it out. She dreams things for me bigger than I dream for myself. She fights for me fiercely from the depths of her heart. She makes me smile and laugh like no one else can. Above all of this, she loves me in a way that only a sister can.

So I look forward to a book about siblings. About the joys and pains that bond us to each other like no other relationship can.