My brother is inspirational.
Do you guys have someone in your life who constantly surprises you with just how cool and amazing they are?
For me, that would be my younger brother, Michael.
Michael is an artist, a business owner, a creative and a tiny little bit of a walking tornado.
He’s the reason I know how to pronounce “manga”, and he’s the graphic designer behind my favorite t-shirts.
He runs a super fast 5k and he styles his clothes in ways that make my tiny Pinterest-inspired brain explode.
He’s really dope and truthfully he always has been.
Today, I got the chance to visit his new apartment and I was absolutely floored.
For the past month or so, my brother has been decorating his new space before officially moving in and I have to say, it is the most creatively decorated space I’ve ever witnessed.
After walking from room to room, I shared with him that it felt like his space was an extension of his creative mind. The apartment was dark and moody with pops of color throughout and all I could think to myself was, “what a privilege it is to know and love you”.
Truthfully, my brother and I haven’t always had a super copasetic relationship. Ever since the moment my parents brought him home from the hospital in all his chunky glory, I’ve always loved him but to be quite honest, I didn’t always like him.
Growing up, I was a temperamental perfectionist. For me, that was the perfect recipe for projecting my need for “perfection” onto my whirlwind of a little-brother. Of course, he played the role of annoying little brother perfectly but I’d say most of the responsibility to be a kind and loving sibling should’ve been on my shoulders as the first born, and looking back, there were many times when I dropped the ball.
We had a lot of beautiful moments growing up together—don’t get me wrong, but by the time we were both adults, I had a lot of apologizing to do.
Over the past few years of adulthood, we have had a lot of honest and heart-wrenching conversations that have allowed us to see each other in new and much different lights. Now, after a lot of hard work and many years of growth, it’s so easy to be his cheerleader.
Being in his apartment, felt like seeing the little boy with his sketch book on his way to his comic creation class.
It felt like holding the hand of the little boy who got a skateboard and did everything in his power to learn how to ride it.
It felt like looking out of the window of our childhood-home and seeing him practicing his basketball skills in the cul-de-sac.
It felt like remembering that his presence in my life is the answer to the prayers of a 3-year old.
When I was three years old, I wanted a sibling. So much so, that during coloring time at daycare, I drew a picture of my family—mom, dad, myself and my baby brother. I was an only child at the time. When my mom came to pick me up, she was surprised by my drawing and asked who the little boy was and without hesitation I responded “my baby brother”.
Michael, you are beyond my wildest dreams…and I know I don’t tell you enough but I am so incredibly proud of you.
Now, I have to stop writing before I absolutely ruin my makeup.
But if you’re still reading this, thanks for stopping by!
Xoxo, see ya tomorrow
The Introvert's Escape Maneuver 
Now I must stop reading before I ruin my makeup… so beautiful.
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