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Viewpoint from a little sister

Garth Stein in his novel "The Art of Racing in the Rain" speaking from the perspective of a canine named Enzo said, "To live every day as if it had been stolen from death, that is how I would like to live. To feel the joy of life..."

I have six older brothers. That is what I tell people when they ask about my family. Six older brothers. I have lost one to mystery, one to death, and momentarily lost one behind high-closed-depressing walls. I have one who loves to joke and makes swords and knives and shields out of duct tape for his sons. One who serves his country and daily lives with a gigantic dose of faith and fortitude and praises God with that life. I have one who loves to sing off key with his windows down, who reads the world around him with a keen inspecting eye. The love they each have for the wives and their children.



I remember riding on their shoulders, their backs, their knees. I remember having food stolen off my plate. I remember bandaged knees and exasperated voices. I remember concerned eyes, excited cries, loving tears. I remember angry words, dodging moving cars, screaming. I remember being invited to play pretend, to play D&D, the invitation to be more.



I remember calm encouragement, gentle reprimand, testimonies over telephone calls.

I remember heroes.



To live your life as if you had stolen it from death is to live life to the fullest. To live life the way your heroes would be proud of.

How do you live your life that way?
You laugh at your mistakes
You smile through pain
You memorize sunsets and sunrises
You listen when people speak to you and reward you with tales of their lives
You praise God with your voice and your tears
You tell the people you love that you love them
You find the peace that lives within you
You live the happiness that is a natural part of your inner most part - your spirit is a being of joy

That's what I think so far anyway.

Life can be so hard. So hard you sometimes think that you won't make it. I know how that feels. I know the feeling of being completely... lost. Feeling in the dark. I know heartache and heartbreak and disappointment. I know sorrow and deep grief.

And some days I am grateful I know how that feels. Because although they have been hard lessons, they have made me who I am.

And sometimes when I reach out, there is a brother there to help me pick back up my pieces. I love that. Despite my hardships I'm really quite lucky.

I'm a younger sister. My brothers annoy me a lot. But they also inspire me to be great. And I know what joy is from having them in my life.






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