Derrick Coyle
A disadvantage of having an older brother is that he hits all life’s cool milestones first, while the younger sibling watches enviously from the sidelines. Monumental moments like the precarious first shave, securing a drivers’ licence and making that solo run in Dad’s car, the excitement of a first date, and legal admission into licenced establishments.
An advantage of having an older brother is that he will inevitably hit life’s more sobering milestones first, providing a merciful buffer of time for his successor to process the thought and come to terms with the imminent arrival of age: thirty, forty, fifty, and onward.
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Today the big brother turns sixty, which conveniently delivers the two-year notice for my own appointment with the jolting, geriatric reality. While I’m almost certain the math is correct, it is hard to fathom the passage of time necessary to satisfy the equation.
How, with such vivid memories of the worry-free, fun-loving, laughter-filled days of life at age six, is it even possible to have managed ourselves to a number, tenfold?
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The occasion causes me to reflect on the comfort of a happy youth and a brotherly influence of subtle guidance and timely counsel through the years.
That’s not to say that being second in the pecking order is challenge-free. On the contrary, an older brother – in dutiful service to temporarily distracted parents – is at times obligated to dispense his own brand of persuasion and set of disciplinary consequences.
Fortunately, somewhere in my early teens, my big brother called a truce and made good on his commitment for a more conciliatory approach to his responsibilities as intermittent parental surrogate – A gesture of goodwill that mysteriously coincided with the summer of my 5-inch growth spurt and serious foray into a weight-training program.
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As the mind drifts back over the years, and to some of the experiences that led us to the latest milestone, it’s impossible to not reflect on the loving family and good friends that accompany us through the good times and guide us through the rough bits along the way. It’s impossible also, to not appreciate the blessing of good health as we enjoy, or look ahead, to retirement and grandchildren.
But on this particular day, I’m thinking mostly of a big brother who turns sixty.
Happy birthday bro, still looking up to you.
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