At the beginning of the school year my contemporary literature teacher asked us to find a photograph that means a lot to us. I went home, ruffled through my photos and scrapbook and just one stuck out to me. My teacher said I should share it with the person it was about, I’m going to do one better. I’m going to share it with the world. So here it goes:
My picture is on a five by seven sheet of photo paper with a matte’ finish. The two children pictured are my youngest brother Joshua and I. He was about three and a half. I was five. This photograph was taken at our grandparents home, whom I now live with, apart from Josh who lives with his mother (my adopted mom) and our step-dad.
We were so happy, my brother and I. So ignorant and oblivious to the hurt that lay ahead. Smiles, big and as bright as the sun on a mid-summers eve. It was a hot summer day in fact. Sitting in our matching baby pools, mine purple, his blue. I can’t forget our matching pool innertubes, mine pink, Josh’s green.
This photograph is special and close to my heart because no matter how much we claim we don’t like each other, we really love each other. We’ve faced many hardships together like dealing with my biological family, his parents divorce, and his mother and step-dad moving around. Not to mention our two other brothers are much older than us so we can relate to each other the most. I can at least. Josh is so smart and no matter how much we argue, he is kind and deep inside he has a soft side. I’m lucky enough to have seen it a couple times even though it’s rare. He is not only my little brother, he is my best friend, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
keep climbing 