I Miss My Brother

Yeah. That's it. I find that out of all the people in my life who have been there for me and helped me succeed the one I am missing more than ever right now is my brother. My wonderful, young, impulsive, crazy, frustrating, infuriating, funny, little brother who is not so little any more. Sometimes when I am ignoring and being ignored by my roommate I remember all those times I would get in trouble at home and my brother was there. The wonderful thing about siblings is that they are always on your side even in the face of your parents. I wish I had an ally like that. Someone that no matter what would be on my side and make me laugh. Make me feel better.

Today in class we talked about social economic status and how it can really impact the way my students are in class. All I could think about were the times we went without water, or what it felt like to have our first computer, or how Santa seemed even more magical because there was no doubt in our minds that mom could not afford it. The wonderful thing about my life is that despite all of those things I am in college. I am making something of myself. I did speak up in class. I said that the most powerful thing I can do for the poor kids in my class is tell them that they can do anything they want to as long as they work for it. That the sky is the limit and it all starts here. My mom did that for me and that is why I am here. I hope that I am a good example of what hard work can do for all of my little brothers but especially for Nick. I hope he knows the sky is the limit and that school is the first step. I hope he knows he can have anything. I hope he knows I love him and I miss him. I hope he knows I will always be there for him. Every time I get an assignment to write a lesson plan I think about what his teachers could have done to engage him more, to make learning more fun and to show him he could do anything because he is so smart. In someways he is much more perceptive than me. I want to be the best teacher for kids like him. And like Jason. And like Jamie. And maybe even even like Cody.

I love you little brother.