Why I Love My Brother

Of all the things I like to talk about on this blog, I think family is one of my most favorite things. I’ve written before about my mom, my dad, and my dad’s mom. But it just occurred to me this week that I never got around to talking about my brother, Braden. Today, I want to remedy that. He definitely deserves the praise.

Braden Hegwood is my closest friend. If he and I were strangers who met each other on an Internet forum or in a café, we’d probably become fast friends with each other. He’s an intelligent and funny guy, a joy to talk to. He has a very sarcastic sense of humor and a knack for irony. He enjoys pointing out all the ridiculous things that happen, both on the news and in his own personal life. We mostly talk about politics and school subjects, although we also share a common interest in popular culture. He has always been a generous and caring person too, someone who could be reliably depended upon.

See, when I was younger, I wasn’t always capable of paying attention when I should. As someone with autism, I was prone to overlooking details and spacing out at inopportune times. Braden helped me back then. When we walked to middle school together, he would stop me from crossing the street without looking both ways. He would constantly remind me to do my homework when I found myself slacking. And he would constantly annoy me into talking when I was in my own little world. He brought me back into reality like nobody else could.

My brother was also very protective of me. He was taller than me, had a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and played football for a while so he was able to protect me physically in spite of him being the younger brother. If someone picked on me at school, he would show up and remind them that he was a black belt and that they shouldn’t pick on me if they knew what was good for them.

I also helped Braden a great deal with his schoolwork, almost as much as he helped me pay attention. From the moment I learned to read, I was reading to my little brother. Even though my brother did not like reading himself when he was younger, he would always sit beside me as I read to him various children’s books.

I also tried to be a good role model for my brother. Braden is naturally competitive, and it irked him to no end how much better I was at schoolwork than he was without even trying. In order to get to my level, he worked his butt off to succeed in class. When we got to college, this really paid off; while my grades suffered in college due to not trying as hard, Braden operated by the mantra of “work hard, play hard.” Through his studying, he excelled in class when I struggled.

My brother is one of the most admirable people I know, and I know he will succeed in life. I wish him the very best in his endeavors. I hope he reads this and knows that I am proud to be his brother. Braden, if you are reading this, then God bless you!