birthday | thu, texas

In honor of my brother’s upcoming birthday, I’m dedicating a blog post to him. This may become a thing on my blog so watch out close one’s, you might be next.

If you’ve met me, I know that you have probably heard me tell a Tommy story…or five, all in the same day. For those of you who haven’t met me, here it goes: I really love my brother. He’s a monster in the best way put.

He’s a monster because he has 3 bikes…okay, I realize this doesn’t make him a monster but isn’t it monstrous that he has 3 bikes?
He’s a monster because he “stands up and smashes hills” when he bikes. Humans cannot do some of the things I’ve seen my brother do. For example, getting into a bicycle accident and after a week [or was it two?] of rest and then doing the BPMS150 or coming back from 6th St. and making a crêpe batter successfully.
And he must be a monster because of he has an abnormally large heart. So full of love…and goof.

A lot of people ask me, “You guys are really close, how did y’all get that way?”
To tell you the truth, I don’t know. It could be music that brought us together, if it wasn’t for him, I might associate ACL with anterior cruciate ligament instead of Austin City Limits. It could be food, but food brings everyone together. Although, I may have never discovered the beauty of a fried egg atop almost everything. It could be the moment when my brother left for college and something clicked for me. (There was once a time where my brother and I did not get along, whhaat?) I look back and try to see if I can remember the exact moment when it “clicked” but it comes up a blur. All I know is that I’m okay with not knowing and I hope everyone has the kind of relationship my brother and I have. I tell my friends that this brother-sister-ship takes time, but it will most likely take food.

This is an ode to me ‘ole brother, you give me the greatest quotes (“We’re going to take this speed bump like a man”) and you’re my biggest motivator. Happy [early] birthday you monster.

The day had not begun but I knew already: I am so blessed.
Birthdays were never something big in my family. I can actually count the number of birthday parties I’ve had in my lifetime on my two hands. And while I wished that those birthday parties were nothing short of a spectacle, I realize that birthdays shouldn’t be that way.

Well, what I mean to say is that birthdays shouldn’t be a spectacle because [here it comes], life should be a spectacle itself and life should be celebrated everyday. Another year goes by, another mark in my tree ring of age, and I am embracing what I already have and hot damn, I’ve got a lot to be thankful about. It isn’t easy though. This year’s birthday was 100% chance for rainstorms with an unforgiving schedule too. There was quite a bit of miscommunication and I became frustrated quite easily as I thought being born on this day, I was entitled to a perfect one.

But I am entitled nothing. This day doesn’t belong just to me, and being alive is a privilege. It’s easy to forget and just as frustrating to see people live their lives forgetting this too. Thankfully, God has given me angels in the form of the closest people around me to slap me back into perspective, these angels keep me grounded. I feel like I hit the jackpot in life and the people in it. Whether they’ve come into my life to teach me or tease me, [here comes another one], they’re in my life for some kind of reason. (They’re called clichés because they’re true and relevant!)

I guess this birthday post is to thank everyone for being in my life and having their unique role in my life. Sometime I will thank each of you personally, so don’t be put off. This 2013 year [and the rest of my life], I want to love extravagantly.

Upon turning 21, I made a list of 22 things I want to do before I turn 22. Help me, suggest to me, tell me what you want to do before you turn X.

Life, 21, let’s do this.

—thu, texas

Archive

Tag Archives: birthday

Fact: My brother is a monster

Fact: I hit the jackpot