My Big Nosed Sin Baby of a Little Brother...who also happens to be my Hero.

He is actually not an Asian....

This is Eric George, the second George boy. He is my little brother and will always be one of the strongest people I know. This post is for him. We are 100% different, and yet I value my relationship with the kid more than I can even understand. Even if his nose is larger than the rest of us, and he is naturally tan and has sandy blonde hair. He may be the milk mans baby…who knows ;D

Growing up Eric and I usually were constantly at each others throats. Even after the purgatory that is puberty we still did not get along like most brothers do. He liked cars and motorcycles and I liked musicals and books. We were very different growing up. But as most brothers go through, we were brothers. We would do a lot of the same activities and that brotherly friendship grew. It may have been a slow growth, but soon we put differences aside and became very close.

 Before my mission we both became amigos. However, we still had out separate lives and did the best we could to keep it that way. Then all of the sudden I went to Uruguay. Eric would play the tough guy front and tell me he was excited for me to leave so that we could take over my space in the house. I just laughed it off, thinking more or less this is just how my brother worked. Then him and I hugged at the airport and we didn’t let each other go. Tears started and all of the sudden I realized that missing my goofy little brother was going to hurt. A lot.

 Over the course of two years I quickly learned that my brother Eric is one of the best people on this planet. I would miss him so much, and all of the sudden I realized that he and I shared a bond that only brothers really have. I would want to tell him things that I couldn’t tell anyone else. I missed that punk a lot. Missions are funny things. They tear you apart from your family for awhile, and then they slam you closer together like you would never believe.

Us with the Weasley twins...nothing big....

 Through the course of my mission I would learn about the trials that my brother was going through. He had idiots friends, ward members who were vicious, and migraines, that would ultimately hospitalize him for a week. Through it all, the kid never gave up. Never threw in the towel. He endured his issues and kept going. As a missionary at the time this was inspiring. When times got rough for me, with no bills, no homework, no job, whose life in reality was pretty cushy… I would remember that if Eric could do it. So could Max.

 When I got home I promised myself to spend more time with my brother. And that I did. Soon he was hanging out with my group of friends and he became part of that “family.” We spent a ton of time together and my brother became one of my most valued friends. I can’t recount how many stupid movies we would end up seeing. (Like “Zookeeper”) I cherish those moments a lot. More than he probably knows.

He was the perfect WALL-E

 Then the punk had to go and leave on his mission. I hate missions sometimes. Eric made his own decisions and I shared some amazing experiences with him as we was preparing to leave. Once again we were growing closer. The day he left he was in our basement and I gave him that last hug. It was surreal. I did not want it to end. But of course it had to. I had my meltdown in my car on the way to school.

Eric got home from his mission a few weeks ago, and the other day we had a brother’s night. Man I love this kid.

Funny thing about being the older brother is that I have always felt this necessity to be an example and a role model for Eric. I would drown him in advice and suggestions to try and “help” him. I would try and be the best person I could be so that he would see that and do the same. Eric didn’t have the easiest of missions and I would again send an onslaught of support trying to him trying not to show him my own weaknesses. Little did I know Eric was the real role model in all of this.

 Eric is one of the most genuine people I know. While i was so preoccupied about being a good "older brother" he was silently showing me how to be the better brother. He does stuff because he wants to do them. He makes his own decisions. He knows what is right and what is wrong and he will stick with that. He is a loyal friend and will be with you till the end. He is enduring. He has been put through the ringer and has had a shit load of trials. More than most people. And yet, my younger brother is stronger than anyone. Stronger than me. Out of us George boys, it is his example that shakes the ground.

 I owe a lot of who I have become to the example of my brother. I love that kid. We may be 100% different, but I would be lost without him. We may not agree on everything, but his opinion matters drastically to me. Through hell and back I know that Eric will be with me through it all. I have had my personal trials, but I know that over all of it...my brother will always be there. And I will be there for him. 

Glad you are home buddy!

p.s. Do you know Eric? If you don’t. Go Face book creep him and become his amigo.

p.p.s 500 blog points!