I have not written too much about my dear old sibling on my blog, but WOW, does credit need to be given to him. For those who do not know or have not had the privilege of meeting him, my older brother's name is Dean. He's older by two years, but sometimes I am convinced he shouldn't be. He is the goofiest, full-of-life guy when he is comfortable around you. When I tell you, he does not have an off button, I mean it. This guy will talk your ear off about any topic; he will debate, he will argue, he will poke fun, but most importantly he converses so well. How do I know this? I was forced to listen to him yap in the backseat of a Ford Escape for the majority of my childhood.
My mother was adamant about Dean and me seeing all fifty states before we turned eighteen. Although that did not happen, we hit a total of twenty-seven. Pretty good for two young kids shoved in a backseat because my grandma and mom preferred the scenic route (they were not a fan of flying). This gave my brother and I the bond of a lifetime. He is my best friend. To this day, I trust him with everything and anything. He is there in a heartbeat if I need him. He and I fuel our inner immature selves. The same immature kids who kept getting yelled at by their grandma and mom for being too rowdy and obnoxious on our sixteen-hour car rides.
The point I am trying to get at: Dean and I's close relationship is solely due to our experiences growing up. We traveled all over the U.S.; he is the only guy I share the same childhood troubles with; our humor mends together; and the list can go on forever. No amount of money or expenses can equal the memories we share.
"The best way to know life is to love many things." Vincent Van Gogh
I cannot fathom the idea of material things over experiences. I remember the joy of being levitated in Missouri twelve years ago over the joy I felt from purchasing a piece of clothing two weeks ago. I remember the peace I felt on a trip with my friend two years ago over the peace I felt from paying rent for the first time two months ago. Expenses should never be the base of your happiness; money comes and goes. You might truly believe buying the newest car will bring you the most joy until a newer car comes out. You will always want more than you have--it is just human tendency.
"But experiences cost money." Yes, some experiences do come with a cost. One afternoon, I was sitting at the fountain on my college campus reading a book. A friend of mine who was more of an acquaintance at the time came up and sat across from me. We talked for four hours, no joke. We were discussing everything under the sun, and he became one of my good friends. That experience cost nothing, yet I remember the comforting feeling I got from forming a genuine friendship. You do not have to spend a penny on a beautiful memory; you just have to be present.
One of the biggest things I believe in is to make life romantic; to create a lifestyle fit for you. Life needs to be experienced--the good and the bad. Nothing fuels me more than a good time. Let that be by myself, with a friend, traveling, etc., whatever it is, I am there if it means I can appreciate all that is being offered to me. What good does sitting at home, overconsuming, or even complaining about life, do when there is a whole world and a million experiences you still need to undergo? Get up and do something beneficial for your life; experience all that you can and you will live a fulfilling life.
My mother is my greatest influence. She deserves endless applause for raising my brother and me as a single mother. She gave my brother and me purpose. She introduced us to the concept of appreciating the smaller things. My brother can speak for himself, but my future career is solely because of my mother. She is an English teacher; I want to be a writer. She loves to travel; I want to partake in travel writing. My mosaic is based around her, and I would not have it otherwise. She was the one who gifted me my tiny red, Dell laptop and let my imagination pour out on the keyboard at the age of eight. She was the one shoving four suitcases and a large cooler in the backseat of a car for a month-long road trip out west. She imprinted "experiences over expenses," on Dean and me.
Some examples of personal experiences:
White water rafting in Tennessee with my brother, Dean.
Spontaneous zip-line in Hocking Hills, Logan OH with one of my beautiful friends, Liz.
Walking the Brooklyn Bridge, NY with my mother in the rain.
My mother bundled my brother and me in layers of winter clothing and pulled us on sleds as she ran down our street.
Impromptu trip to Mackinaw with one of my great friends, Maya.
My brother, a childhood friend, and I relaxed in wheelbarrows after pushing tons and tons of shingles from roofs on a mission trip.
A group of my friends and I spent a day in Ann Arbor tubing, eating downtown, and running around in the streets (quite literally running), all while it down-poured.
Spontaneous trip to Myrtle Beach, SC with three of my great friends: Sam, Lauren, and Vaughn
Dean and me in an underground cave, freezing, in Kentucky.
Comments