“Brother’s Youth” by Lily Cannon reminded me of my two older brothers, one in high school and the other in college. Neither of them are coddled anymore like they were as little kids because they're shaving their youth away. My siblings are independent, and I'm learning to be too, looking to them as examples.
Perhaps reflecting on memory, Lily wrote, “My brother came home, with a shopping bag filled with pride.” For me, the line brings back thoughts of a summer long ago when everyone seemed so young. My then-teenage brother, now majoring in psychology, stayed away working for two whole months, an eternity to me. I remember he walked through the door, skin tanned and face glowing, holding a bag full of juicy pears. “I picked them myself,” he told us proudly before offering one to me.
There used to be “action figures, cartoon pajamas, and pancake mornings” before time stole them away. The television blared its bright colors and sounds while I sat entranced, and my imagination worked overtime fooling around with small toys. Saturdays were days of relaxation and play for me and my brothers when we were much younger. Their youth hasn't been completely stripped away yet, but it's only a matter of time before that’s taken away as well. I know they'll grow up strong, though - even stronger than they already are now.