Go Forth

My brother is heading off to college today.  My brother, who I still picture in my head as a pudgy little 3 year old with a mischievous smile who couldn't stay the night anywhere because "I have to go home to my mommy now."  To say the least my maman is a little uncertain about this whole going away to college thing.  Now, he'll be home every weekend for a while to work, and he's literally only an hour away, but chances are they will be on the phone every day.  And chances are I will keep getting the random texts that simply say "Hey."  It cracks Garret up, because it always leads to a slew of texts, but he always just starts with "Hey."

I'm currently sitting in Starbucks attempting to post this and not cry.  Being 7 years older I can remember all the moments of him.  I can remember being in school, in the auditorium, and getting called to the office to be told my baby brother had been born.  I can remember holding him in the hospital.  I can remember reading to him, and playing houseboat with him, and just growing up with him.  He turned from a toddler to a little boy to a grown man in what seems like overnight.  He went from being a doll to a pest to one of my bestest friends.  

He will go forth and conquer the world.  He's a person who loves people, who is always a good loyal friend, even to a fault.  He amazes me with his capacity for love.  Of course I worry about him.  I worry about all the stupid things I did in college that I hope he avoids.  The good thing is my best friend lives in the same city and will totally kick his rear if need be!  But mainly I'm so proud.  He struggles, but he always keeps working at it.  He's going to have to read things twice and e-mail me essays to check over before he submits them, and yet I can already picture him graduating.  He will conquer the world, and I will always be so proud of him.  Proud of the man he is choosing to become, the man I know he's going to be.