Brotherly Love

The highlight of my childhood was making my brother laugh so hard that food came out of his nose. Garrison Keillor

On seeing this week’s prompt, I dug out the photos I have of the first cuddles I had with my younger brothers.

Brother number one was born when I was two and a half.

You can see from the bashful smile on my face that I am not entirely sure about what to do, or think about this new human being I had just been presented with.

Growing up, we played together a lot, sharing particularly a passion for Star Wars. Like most siblings, we had plenty of squabbles along the way.

I’m so pleased that we get on very well now, and we enjoy a close relationship – even if we see each other rarely now he has moved to the other side of the world.

Brother number two was born when I was 13.

Here I am rocking the double denim look. For the record, my hair is naturally curly: I did not have a perm. I am, however, wearing different kind of awkward grin.

Being a teenaged big sister, I did my share of child care. I remember taking him to the cinema in the mid ’90s to watch the remastered Star Wars films (anyone else spotting a theme here?).

With such a large age difference my relationship with brother number two is different to that with brother number one, but it is no less special to me.

You share a very special relationship with your siblings, and you share a special bond with injokes that no one else can understand.

I can’t remember any specific occasions where we have laughed so hard food has come out of their noses (but that might have happened!), but I can certainly recall times where we have laughed until our sides have ached.

Being the big sister to both my brothers, I spent time in our younger years caring for them. Now the tables have been turned and when I have needed them, they have looked after me.

Brotherly love.