Taking part in the Ann Dee Ellis 8-Minute Memoir Writing Challenge. This is Day Seventeen.

I’ve been mulling this one over for a week, and find I just don’t know where to approach the subject. It shouldn’t be hard- I have two brothers I love dearly, and who are more like Fred and George Weasley than anything, despite not being actual twins. I do sometimes think they share a brain. I’m close to both of them, despite living on opposite coasts. But I’m also older, and we didn’t share many formative experiences- I graduated from high school the same year my youngest brother started kindergarten.  I was married an expecting Jeffrey when my closest brother graduated from high school. There were gulfs in our experiences, but we all maintained regular contact and have a closeness I love and value. The field has leveled somewhat as we’ve all gotten older- and our life experiences are closer. We all have spouses, kids, mortgages, cars, kid’s baseball/soccer/football conflicts, and all the normal life stuff.

We talk regularly, and understand each other the way only siblings can- we roll our eyes affectionately at mom, laugh at whatever crazy contraption or idea dad has, talk about our kids and compare field notes on what worked for Kid A and wonder if it will work for Kid B.

I have a half-sister who came along when I was already in my twenties, and I kind of regret that don’t know her well. She’s away at college, and I keep up with her via social media. Maybe someday that will change and that playing field will level, too. I kind of hope so. We don’t share the formative experiences that so often bond siblings, but it’s also not her fault she came along when we were all already well on our way to being grown and out. Regardless of our differential experiences, surely she can laugh about our awesome dad with us.