Have you ever met someone you love deeply, but at the same time, you cannot help feeling like putting a bullet through their skull? That’s the situation with my little brother. He’s all grown now, but the feeling is still the same. I hate that I love that little monster so much.
To completely know me, you have to know the situation with my little brother. You most definitely have to be intimated with the love-hate thing we have got going on. Don’t get me wrong, I love my brother… but most times, I hate that small piece of mischief!
Family is everything to me. I hold my siblings and parents in high esteem. I do not joke or take them for granted. I absolutely believe this is God’s plan. To have a set of annoying people that you will love regardless, and they will show that same love to you unconditionally. I count myself lucky to have a family that I can call my own. Many people do not have that, and that fact just reinforces me at all times to be appreciative of the ones I’ve got.
So basically, what I’m trying to say is, I have a family, and they are super annoying, but I cannot do anything about that because of love!
I grew up in a family of five: my parents and two siblings. Unfortunately, I’m the first child. Yes, I say unfortunately because if there was any benefit to being the first child, I never had that. I grew up in a setting where my little brother was the baby of the house, even when he became an adult. This same setting had me become an adult… or carry out adult duties even as a child. For context sake, I’ll tell you in detail how my brother is the most annoying creature to walk this earth.
When we were younger, we used to be inseparable. My younger brother and I both ran things and did several mischievous things together. The middle child, my kid sister, was the nerdy one in the family and never had time to engage in our wild ways. We rode bikes together and went swimming.
One crazy day, I was supposed to get stuff from the mall so my mom would fix dinner for us when she got back home. We went to the mall after playing for lengthy hours and got what we were supposed to do. After getting the foodstuff, like a cunning little thing that he is, I was coerced to make the dinner myself. While I was preparing it, unknowingly, the salt had been switched with the detergent in the house by this little devil. I didn’t realize it was not salt until I had finished making the food. Unfortunately for me, it was at this instant my parents walked in. Bemused and proud of their daughter for taking it upon herself to be the head of the house while they weren’t around, she proceeded to taste the food. I don’t have to tell you how this ended. If you predicted that it ended badly, you’re not wrong, and that’s not even the saddest part.
My brother, who had masterminded this feigned innocence and made fun of me. Things changed in our relationship after that. At that moment, I knew I wasn’t an exception to his mischievous ways.
If you think that childhood mischief was the height of my brother’s misdemeanour, you are so wrong. I got a bigger taste of this when I got into college.
In my third year, my brother came to check out things in my college and all. I was so happy that he was actually considering attending college. As a big sister, I took him out, introduced this little fella to my friends and workers. I basically did everything to ensure this boy was comfortable. I had a feeling he was up to something when I saw him spending time with my friends.
One day after work, I got home to hear loud music from my place. I got in to see so many people. Apparently, my little brother had hosted a party. That wasn’t even bad. The worst part is that my brother left for home the next day, leaving me with the sole responsibility of fixing up the mess he had made. At that moment, I was reminded of how this little devil always played the devil’s advocate everytime I wanted to make him happy.
Dear little brother, I love you so much. More than that is how I hate how much I love you. If you have an annoying little brother like mine, please do let me know and share your story too.